Ecological Criteria Research Articles

Evaluating seabed habitat representativeness across a diverse set of marine protected areas on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Marine ecosystem-based management requires good spatial information on the distribution of marine species and habitats. Often, such information is limited to a few sampled locations, but modelling techniques can be applied to produce predictive distribution maps. A harmonized broad-scale seabed habitat map was recently produced for the archipelagos of Macaronesia under the EMODnet Seabed Habitats Programme. We use this new information to produce an extent-based evaluation of the representativeness and level of protection conferred by the current set of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Azores to the variety of benthic marine habitats found in this oceanic region. A more objective assessment of the protection effectively provided to the habitats is obtained by applying a scoring system to the MPAs based on the number of allowed extractive and non-extractive human activities and their potential impact on marine biodiversity and habitats. Results show that Azorean habitats within the MPAs are nearly entirely classified as highly protected. In total, 26 habitats (7 of which are endangered and 2 are rare) have at least 10% of their extent in the Azores EEZ protected by MPAs, but another 29 fail to meet this target (4 on-shelf habitats and 25 deep-sea habitats), highlighting the need to extend current protection of bathyal and abyssal habitats and applying adequate ecological coherence criteria. This approach sets a standard that can be used wherever similar information is available, be it in other European regions or beyond.

PEYZAJ TASARIM KRİTERLERİ AÇISINDAN NİĞDE KENT PARKLARININ İNCELENMESİ

Cities face big environmental problems as a result of rapid construction and reduction of green areas. In order to minimize such environmental problems, there should be a planned urbanization policy. The most important issue to be considered in this plan is that urban open and green areas. People are longing for nature because of urbanization. While green spaces minimize people's aspirations to nature, they also decrease the negative aspects of urbanization. In addition, urban open and green areas contribute not only ecologically but also economically. Parks are the most important open and green area that makes the cities where we live in attractive and livable, bring image to cities, increase participation in recreational activities, and provide the balance between aesthetics, function and ecology criteria’s. The contribution of city parks to the environment where we live in, starts with a good planning process. Parks should be built in accordance with the ecological conditions of the region with a good spatial analysis. After a good planning, the design process that will meet the people needs of the region, should be started. Following a good planning and design process, it is possible to increase the contribution of parks to the cities with planned maintenance works. In this study; 3 city parks located in the central district of Niğde were examined within the scope of the study. The aim of the study is that some of the parks that provide services on a city scale within the borders of the province of Niğde, to examine whether it is suitable according to landscape design criteria. For this purpose, their suitability for landscape design criteria was analyzed under some headings such as their locations and accessibility levels, plant designs, and urban furniture elements. In the study, firstly, landscape design criteria were determined in order to evaluate the parks. According to the determined criteria, positive or negative properties of the parks have been determined in terms of landscape design. The current state of the parks was analyzed. Collection of data was provided by observations and interviews with parks users. In order to examine the study areas in detail, study trips and observations were made, photographs were taken and evaluated in the area. In line with the determined aims and criteria, Niğde city parks, which have developed rapidly in recent years, it has been determined to what extent the features such as size, reinforcement elements, accessibility and security meet the landscape design criteria. Finally, it was determined that there are deficiencies in terms of some criteria determined within the scope of landscape design of parks.

A methodology for the ecological and economic assessment of manufacturing process sequences

Abstract Technology planning methodologies enable the design of alternative manufacturing process sequences that are capable of manufacturing a product, which fulfills its designated functions. Today, capable process sequences are assessed according to economic criteria to identify the preferable sequence. However, changing customer demands towards sustainable products and legal regulations force companies to consider ecologic criteria in process sequence assessment as well. Therefore, a new methodology to enable an integrated ecological-economic assessment of manufacturing processes is introduced. It is based on monetary valuation of environmental impacts. Subsequently, a procedure to identify levers to reduce environmental impacts of process sequences is outlined.

Resolving associative patterns in life history parameters among marine fish stocks in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Knowledge of life history characteristics in marine fishes, including natural mortality, somatic growth, maturity schedule, productivity and others, is essential for successful management and long-term sustainability of marine resources. Patterns exist among these traits within and among taxa to maximize individual fitness and offspring survival, and trade-offs are typical. In this study, we examined life history data from 42 fishery stocks in the Northeast Pacific Ocean using principal component analysis (PCA) and clustering techniques. We identified discrete clustering patterns of stocks corresponding to ecological, taxonomic, and management criteria. Our results revealed additional resolution for complex structure among stocks based on combinations of life history traits, well beyond what was described before, for the diverse group of Sebastes rockfish, which have not been examined in this context previously. One example is clear differentiation between Sebastes demersal species, and those caught with midwater gear, particularly with addition of stock-specific fecundity data; another is bocaccio rockfish, whose life history patterns our results shed new light on. Our results also provide an empirical basis for grouping stocks in meta-analytic studies, which are often used to inform unknown or difficult to estimate parameters in stock assessment. Our results supported important core aspects of previous studies, and rectified others, among a wide range of stocks including highly migratory, coastal pelagic and groundfish stocks. They also reinforce fishery management strategies grounded in life history, among stocks in the Northeast Pacific Ocean and around the world.

Ecological and technological criteria for comparing the natural intensity of industrial and municipal waste sites with the technological intensity of the environment

A systematic approach based on environmental and technological criteria has been proposed to ensure the achievement of environmental quality standards of the environment at the regional intersectoral level for the management of industrial and municipal waste. A list of indicators and criteria has been formed for comparing the accumulating capacity of a given natural system without serious violations of its structural and functional characteristics on the one hand. On the other hand, there is production potential and production capacity for natural resources for individual enterprises and a diversified industrial complex. An algorithm for comparing production and natural potentials on the basis of a geographic information basis on the scale of a territorial natural production complex has been developed and the structure of a GIS project has been determined. The latter made it possible to interconnect the natural intensity of production (NP), the level of environmental friendliness of production (EFP), the ecological technological capacity of the territory (ETT) using the criteria of commensuration (NDV, VAT, PDRO and NDT).

Višekriterijumska metodologija izbora lokacije vetroparka bazirana na geografskom informacionom sistemu

It is prevalent that by 2050, the global energy demand would increase by 50% to the current demand. The projected demand for electricity in Saudi Arabia is expected to exceed 120 GW/year by 2032. The Saudi government has set a goal of generating 9.5 GW of wind energy by 2023. In this study, firstly, a spatial interpolation technique is used to build a first accurate wind map of the entire country, then a GIS-based multicriteria decision-making model is developed to select suitable wind farm sites considering various ecological, environmental and socio-economic criteria. All the identified criteria are given equal weightage in the model. Therefore, with noncompliance with even a single criterion, the associated complete area is considered unsuitable. As a case study, this model is independently applied to four regions covering the entire of Saudi Arabia. In the northern region, three wind farm sites are identified. The central area has a more suitable area compared to other regions mainly due to good wind resources and road and grid connectivity. The suitable sites in the Eastern region are located between Dammam and Hafr AlBatin city. The southern region has a scarcest suitable area for wind power exploitation located near the province of Madinah.

Ecological and technological criteria for the efficient utilization of liquid manure

The article discusses the prospects for the development of environmental management in the disposal of livestock waste, in particular liquid manure, as part of an industrial approach to it. The data on the concentration of nutrients in liquid manure depending on its moisture are presented. Based on the analysis of empirical data and the results of previous studies, an exponential dependence is derived that indicates the relationship between the initial moisture content of liquid manure and its final volume. Criteria of effective utilization of liquid manure are formulated taking into account environmental and technological specifics.

Carbon sequestration and biodiversity co-benefits of preserving forests in the western United States.

Forest carbon sequestration via forest preservation can be a viable climate change mitigation strategy. Here, we identify forests in the western conterminous United States with high potential carbon sequestration and low vulnerability to future drought and fire, as simulated using the Community Land Model and two high carbon emission scenario (RCP 8.5) climate models. High‐productivity, low‐vulnerability forests have the potential to sequester up to 5,450 Tg CO 2 equivalent (1,485 Tg C) by 2099, which is up to 20% of the global mitigation potential previously identified for all temperate and boreal forests, or up to ~6 yr of current regional fossil fuel emissions. Additionally, these forests currently have high above‐ and belowground carbon density, high tree species richness, and a high proportion of critical habitat for endangered vertebrate species, indicating a strong potential to support biodiversity into the future and promote ecosystem resilience to climate change. We stress that some forest lands have low carbon sequestration potential but high biodiversity, underscoring the need to consider multiple criteria when designing a land preservation portfolio. Our work demonstrates how process models and ecological criteria can be used to prioritize landscape preservation for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and preserving biodiversity in a rapidly changing climate.

Student Team Sustainability Research Projects as an Approach to Education for Sustainability at the University Level

Abstract At this moment about 7.6 billion people inhabit the earth (Worldpopulation clock 2018). A sustainability revolution is necessary (WCED 1987, UNCED 1992, Rockström 2009) to avoid this huge population in striving for a luxury life depleting the resources of the planet. There are also important social issues that need to be resolved (Raworth 2017). It has been argued that even a real cultural shift is needed (Kagan 2010).This revolution can be started in education (UN 2003). The decade of education for sustainable development <target target-type="page-num" id="p-85"/>(UNESCO 2014a) ran from 2005 till 2014. It is being carried further in the Global Action Program (UNESCO 2014b). At the University of Leuven, the ‘Science and Sustainability’ course is a stand-alone elective course of 6 credits that specifically aims to provide master’s students in the natural sciences with education for (the benefit of) sustainability action (Ceulemans & Severijns 2018a and 2018b). Last year (2016‐2017), the course ran for the first time and insight was gained in the competences that master’s level students hold for sustainability. Based on this experience, stronger emphasis was placed in the second year (2017‐2018) on providing, and making students use, tools to approach sustainability issues. Specific attention was directed toward allowing students to get acquainted with systems thinking and deal with inter- and transdisciplinary issues by approaching problems from a multi-stakeholder point of view. The sustainability reports the student teams compiled therefore necessarily included a representation of the system map they compiled to get a grip on the sustainability issue. Also a stakeholder map needed to be drawn.Near the end of the course it became apparent that students had difficulty in deviating from the Western interpretation of sustainability, where ecological criteria strongly dominate and ecological responsible behavior is pretended to be adequate to drive the transformation for true sustainability. However, it is in the socio-political and socio-cultural dimensions that the value-laden component of sustainability is really found. Several team-tailored feedback and discussion sessions were therefore organized to make students at least consider a slightly broader view on sustainability.Three student reports of projects that were carried out within this framework are presented in the appendices to this abstract. Students were asked to focus in their reports specifically on the broader sustainability related issues. Technical and exact-scientific information related to their project topic was preferably included in an addendum. Sustainability dimensions on which a focus was laid (e.g. Social, Cultural, Politics, Economics, Communications) varied among the projects, being largely dependent on the topic addressed and in part also on the major stakeholders.

Exergetic, ecological and thermo-economic (3E) optimization of an absorption heat pump with heat resistance, heat leakage and two internal irreversibilities: Comparison

The multi-objective optimization of a three-heat-reservoir absorption heat pump (THR AHP) is used mainly considering three objective functions: exergetic performance criterion (EPC), exergy-based ecological criterion (E) and thermo-economic criterion (F). Indeed, the exergy, ecological and thermo-economic criteria are highlighted analytically. This is done by using the law of convective heat exchanges between the working fluid and the different components and finite time thermodynamics analysis. This is to determine the optimum operating points of the system by minimizing exergy destruction rate, the environmental impact and the costs of capital and energy consumed. Also, the parameters taken into account influencing the performance of the absorption heat pump are the heat resistances, the heat leakages, the thermo-economic parameter and the two internal irreversibility factors in particular that between the evaporator-condenser assembly. However, the Flowchart optimization methodology made it possible to deduce that the system presents a significant advantage at the maxima of the F and the EPC criteria in terms of coefficient of performance. Nevertheless, the THR AHP presents a significant advantage at the maximum of the EPC in terms of exergy destruction rate and at the maximum of the E in terms of specific heating load and exergy output rate.

Ecological and Energy Indicator of the Implementation of the Best Available Technologies for the Disposal of Poultry Manure

The "Ecological and energy criterion for the effectiveness of the introduction of BAT" is proposed. This indicator expresses the ratio of the unit cost of the consumption of fuel and energy resources to the difference in the values of nitrogen emissions in the base technology and the compared technology. The option of using this coefficient is considered on the example of comparing poultry manure disposal technologies. The environmental and energy criterion for the effectiveness of the introduction of BAT will be useful for evaluating technologies at the same time both in terms of energy and environmental indicators.

Assessment of riparian environments through semi-automated procedures for the computation of eco-morphological indicators: Preliminary results of the WEQUAL project

Summary The aim of WEQUAL project (WEb service centre for QUALity multidimensional design and tele-operated monitoring of Green Infrastructures) is the development of a system that is able to support a quick environmental monitoring of riparian areas subjected to the realization of new green infrastructures (GI). The Wequal’s idea is to organize a service center able to manage both the Web Platform and the whole data collection and analysis processes. Through a personal account, the final user (designer, technician, researcher) can get access to the service and requires the evaluation of alternatives GI projects. On the Web Platform, a set of algorithms runs in order to calculate, through automatic procedures, all the ecological criteria required to evaluate a quality environmental index that describes the eco-morphological value of the monitored riparian areas. For this aim, the WEQUI index was developed, which uses 15 indicators that are easy to monitor. In this paper, the approach for environmental data collection and the procedures to perform the automatic assessment of two of the ecological criteria are described. For the computation, the implemented algorithms use data including the vegetation indexes, Digital Terrain Model (DTM), Digital Surface Model (DSM) and a 3D point cloud classification. All the raw data are collected by UAVs (Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle) equipped with a 3D Lidar, multispectral camera and RGB camera. Interpreting all the raw data collected by these sensors, using a multi-attribute approach, the WEQUI index is assessed. The computed ecological index is then used to assess the riparian environmental quality at ex-ante and ex-post river stabilization works. This index, integrated with additional not-technical or not-ecological indicators such as investment required, maintenance costs or social acceptance, can be used in multicriteria analyses in order to evaluate the intervention from a wider point of view. The platform is expected to be attractive for GI designers and policy makers by providing a shared environment, which is able to integrate the method of detection and evaluation of complex indexes and a multidimensional evaluation supported by an expert guide.

Commentary: Defining Raptors and Birds of Prey

Species considered raptors are subjects of monitoring programs, textbooks, scientific societies, legislation, and multinational agreements. Yet no standard definition for the synonymous terms “raptor” or “bird of prey” exists. Groups, including owls, vultures, corvids, and shrikes are variably considered raptors based on morphological, ecological, and taxonomic criteria, depending on the authors. We review various criteria previously used to define raptors and we present an updated definition that incorporates current understanding of bird phylogeny. For example, hunting live vertebrates has been largely accepted as an ecological trait of raptorial birds, yet not all species considered raptors are raptorial (e.g., Palm-nut Vulture [Gypohierax angolensis]), and not all raptorial birds are considered raptors (e.g., skuas [Stercorariidae]). Acute vision, a hooked bill, and sharp talons are the most commonly used morphological characters for delineating raptors; however, using those characters as criteria may cause confusion because they can be vague and exceptions are sometimes made. Old World vultures, for example, are in the family Accipitridae along with hawks and eagles, and thus are usually considered raptors despite their lack of sharp talons. We define raptors as species within orders that evolved from raptorial landbirds (Telluraves) in which most species maintained raptorial lifestyles. Raptors are therefore all species within Accipitriformes, Cathartiformes, Falconiformes, and Strigiformes. Importantly, we believe that seriemas (Cariamiformes) should also be considered raptors. Our definition combines phylogeny with morphology and ecology, and avoids ambiguity associated with owls, vultures, and shrikes. Establishing a common definition of raptors should improve interpretability across studies and lessen ambiguity of research and management recommendations.

Social Acceptability of More Sustainable Alternatives in Clothing Consumption

The rapidly growing demand for clothing in connection with the resource requirements and the emissions along the textile chain as well as the prevailing working conditions in the textile industry cause serious environmental and social problems. The question is asked, whether changes in consumption towards more sustainably produced clothing and, finally, a reduction of clothing consumption are achievable against the background of the existing consumption-related patterns of attitudes and behaviors. A representative survey was conducted in Germany (N = 2000) to tackle the consumer-related aspects of this question. The characteristics of consumption-related attitudes in the different population segments were determined. Factors were identified that affect the buying and use of clothes as well as the efficiency, consistency, and sufficiency supporting consumption alternatives. The results show that some preconditions for a broader diffusion of more sustainable alternatives in clothing consumption are given in Germany, such as a widespread general sustainability and problem awareness. In some population segments, social norms supporting more efficiency and consistency in the clothing sector are effective, and social and ecological buying criteria have a relatively high importance. However, there are also strong attitudinal obstacles, particularly regarding the restriction of clothing consumption.

Environmental Criteria for Assessing the Competitiveness of Public Tenders with the Replacement of Large-Scale LEDs in the Outdoor Lighting of Cities as a Key Element for Sustainable Development: Case Study Applied with PROMETHEE Methodology

The technological change to LEDs is an unstoppable reality which, little by little, is becoming increasingly important in terms of the lighting inside and outside our homes. The exterior lighting of our cities is moving decisively and clearly towards the incorporation of this technology in urban spaces. The energy efficiency, light quality, and economic benefits of LED technology are an unquestionable reality. This is causing public administration projects involving large-scale switches to LEDs to be promoted and financed; however, it is beginning to be observed that the commitment to the policies decided by this technology should take into account some environmental aspects which have not been studied to date. The environmental impact of the substitutions is caused by the need to valorize the replaced luminaires. Until now, most have been stored without the possibility of use, reuse, or recovery. The environmental impact produced in the manufacture of LED luminaires that replace the old sodium vapor (VSAP) or metal halide (MH) discharge lamps must also be considered. In addition, in the administrative clauses specifications that govern the public tenders, it is observed that the fundamental environmental aspects both of recycling the old lamps, and of the life cycle analysis (LCA) of the luminaires that are replacing them, have not been contemplated or valued with sufficient weight. In addition, there are very few public substitution contests in which environmental criteria are rewarded or valued in an important way. This work intends to summarize a methodological proposal using the techniques of multiple decision-making criteria for the selection of bidding companies for public outdoor lighting competitions. We propose the use of the PROMETHEE method multi-criteria analysis for the application of the most commonly used criteria for the luminaire LED selection process, including an environmental impact assessment with LCA techniques, and propose this as a case or model guide in the public contests of cities. A model of the bidding conditions that addresses and assesses the environmental aspects which are absolutely key to sustainable development is supported by the ecological criteria of the circular economy.

Capturing Farmers’ Knowledge: Testing the Analytic Hierarchy Process and a Ranking and Scoring Method

Integrating local and Indigenous knowledge into land-use planning and the assessment of ecosystems services requires reliable, quantitative data. We tested two approaches to obtain such data by quantifying farmer opinion of different land-covers in Eastern Panama using (1) the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and (2) a simpler ranking and scoring technique. Both methods produce a set of numerical values reflecting the ability of land-covers to deliver ecological and socio-economic criteria. We present our experience with both methods and offer recommendations for researchers looking to quantify landholder opinion. The AHP survey was relatively long (on average it took 19 min to complete per criterion) and we faced problems with inconsistent responses. In contrast, the ranking and scoring method was much quicker (only 3 min per criterion) and therefore may be more suitable for gathering more data from a larger number of farmers.

An integer programming method for the design of multi-criteria multi-action conservation plans

The design of conservation management plans is a crucial task for ensuring the preservation of ecosystems. A conservation plan is typically embodied by two types of decisions: in which areas of a given territory it will be implemented, and how actions against threats will be deployed across these areas. These decisions are usually guided by the resulting ecological benefit, their spatial effectiveness, and their implementation cost.In this paper, we propose a multi-criteria optimization framework, for modeling and solving a mixed integer programming characterization of a multi-action and multi-species conservation management design problem. The optimization tool seeks for a management plan that maximizes ecological benefit and minimizes spatial fragmentation, simultaneously, while ensuring an implementation cost no greater than a given budget.For showing the effectiveness of the methodology, we consider a case study corresponding to a portion of the Mitchell river catchment, located in northern Australia, where 31 freshwater fish species are affected by four threats.The attained results show how the methodology exploits the trade-offs among the ecological, spatial and cost criteria, enabling decision-makers to explore and analyze a broad range of conservation plans. Selecting conservation plans in a more informed way allows to obtain the best outcomes from a strategic and operational point of view.

RODIKLIŲ SVORIŲ SVARBA BREEAM IR 3E PASTATŲ DARNUMO VERTINIMO SISTEMOSE / IMPORTANCE OF CRITERIA WEIGHTS IN BREEAM IN-USE AND 3E BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEMS

Combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are among the European Union’s priorities today. Direct implementation of these priorities is sustainable buildings. This paper analyzes the energy supply of a health resort building with renewable energy sources in the context of the “BREEAM In-Use” sustainability assessment system. The criteria for the “BREEAM In-Use” scoring system are grouped according to the 3E criteria and recommendations are made for the weights of the 3E assessment system criteria. In accordance with the criteria grouping methodology in the article, in the context of 3E criteria, the maximum weight should reach the energy indicator (about 50%), the second most important one is the ecological criterion, and about 16% should only meet the economic criterion.

Land suitability assessments for yield prediction of cassava using geospatial fuzzy expert systems and remote sensing

Cassava has the potential to be a promising crop that can adapt to changing climatic conditions in Indonesia due to its low water requirement and drought tolerance. However, inappropriate land selection decisions limit cassava yields and increase production-related costs to farmers. As a root crop, yield prediction using vegetation indices and biophysical properties is essential to maximize the yield of cassava before harvesting. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to develop a yield prediction model based on suitable areas that assess with land suitability analysis (LSA). For LSA, the priority indicators were identified using a fuzzy expert system combined with a multicriteria decision method including ecological categories. Furthermore, the yield prediction method was developed using satellite remote sensing datasets. In this analysis, Sentinel-2 datasets were collected and analyzed in SNAP® and ArcGIS® environments. The multisource database of ecological criteria for cassava production was built using the fuzzy membership function. The results showed that 42.17% of the land area was highly suitable for cassava production. Then, in the highly suitable area, the yield prediction model was developed using the vegetation indices based on Sentinel-2 datasets with 10 m resolution for the accuracy assessment. The vegetation indices were used to predict cassava growth, biophysical condition, and phenology over the growing seasons. The NDVI, SAVI, IRECI, LAI, and fAPAR were used to develop the model for predicting cassava growth. The generated models were validated using regression analysis between observed and predicted yield. As the vegetation indices, NDVI showed higher accuracy in the yield prediction model (R2 = 0.62) compared to SAVI and IRECI. Meanwhile, LAI had a higher prediction accuracy (R2 = 0.70) than other biophysical properties, fAPAR. The combined model using NDVI, SAVI, IRECI, LAI, and fAPAR reported the highest accuracy (R2 = 0.77). The ground truth data were used for the evaluation of satellite remote sensing data in the comparison between the observed and predicted yields. This developed integrated model could be implemented for the management of land allocation and yield assessment in cassava production to ensure regional food security in Indonesia.

Assessing Individual Performance in Team Sports: A New Method Developed in Youth Volleyball.

Studying the role of individual differences in team sports performance is a challenge. The main problem is having an available measure of individual performance of each member of the team. In particular, in youth sports, where the level of specialization is reactively low, it appears appropriate that this measure takes the entire performance of the athlete into consideration (i.e., that it assesses all of the athlete’s gestures), while maintaining an ecological validity criterion. Therefore, we devised and calculated an individual assessment measure in volleyball following the subsequent steps: Firstly, we video-recorded at least three volleyball games for each of the 114 youth volleyball players who participated in the study. Then, two independent expert observers evaluated each individual performance by attributing a score to every single gesture performed by the athletes during the games. The derived individual score was adjusted and controlled for the team performance measure, namely the result of each Set the athlete participated in (and for the amount of participation of the athlete to each game). The final measure of individual performance in volleyball proved to be reliable, showing a high level of interrater agreement (r = .841, p < .001) and a significant correlation with the amount of experience in volleyball (r = .173, p < .05).