Game Vertebrate Densities in Hunted and Nonhunted Forest Sites in Manu National Park,Peru

Manu National Park of southern Peru is one of the most renowned protected areas in the world, yet large-bodied vertebrate surveys conducted to date have been restricted to Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a research station covering <0.06 percent of the 1.7 Mha park. Manu Park is occupied by >460 settled Matsigenka Amerindians, 300–400 isolated Matsigenka, and several, little-known groups of isolated hunter–gatherers, yet the impact of these native Amazonians on game vertebrate populations within the park remains poorly understood. On the basis of 1495 km of standardized line-transect censuses, we present density and biomass estimates for 23 mammal, bird, and reptile species for seven lowland and upland forest sites in Manu Park, including Cocha Cashu. We compare these estimates between hunted and nonhunted sites within Manu Park, and with other Neotropical forest sites. Manu Park safeguards some of the most species-rich and highest biomass assemblages of arboreal and terrestrial mammals ever recorded in Neotropical forests, most likely because of its direct Andean influence and high levels of soil fertility. Relative to Barro Colorado Island, seed predators and arboreal folivores in Manu are rare, and generalist frugivores specializing on mature fruit pulp are abundant. The impact of such a qualitative shift in the vertebrate community on the dynamics of plant regeneration, and therefore, on our understanding of tropical plant ecology, must be profound. Despite a number of external threats, Manu Park continues to serve as a baseline against which other Neotropical forests can be gauged. Abstract in Spanish is available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/btp .     

Demography of the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) in Manu National Park,South-Eastern Peru: Implications for Conservation

The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is an endangered semi-aquatic carnivore of South America. We present findings on the demography of a population inhabiting the floodplain of Manu National Park, south-eastern Peru, arising from 14 annual dry season censuses over a 16 year period. The breeding system of territorial groups, including only a single breeding female with non-reproductive adult ‘helpers’, resulted in a low intrinsic rate of increase (0.03) and a slow recovery from decades of hunting for the pelt trade. This is explained by a combination of factors: (1) physiological traits such as late age at first reproduction and long generation time, (2) a high degree of reproductive skew, (3) small litters produced only once a year, and (4) a 50% mortality between den emergence and age of dispersal, as well as high mortality amongst dispersers (especially males). Female and male giant otters show similar traits with respect to average reproductive life-spans (female 5.4 yrs., male 5.2 yrs.) and average cub productivity (female 6.9, male 6.7 cubs per lifetime); the longest reproductive life spans were 11 and 13 years respectively. Individual reproductive success varied substantially and depended mainly on the duration of dominance tenure in the territory. When breeding females died, the reproductive position in the group was usually occupied by sisters or daughters (n = 11), with immigrant male partners. Male philopatry was not observed. The vulnerability of the Manu giant otter population to anthropogenic disturbance emphasises the importance of effective protection of core lake habitats in particular. Riverine forests are the most endangered ecosystem in the Department of Madre de Dios due to the concentration of gold mining, logging and agricultural activities in floodplains, highlighting the need for a giant otter habitat conservation corridor along the Madre de Dios River.     

Demography,ranging patterns,and activity budgets of black spider monkeys (Ateles paniscus chamek) in the Manu National Park,Peru

Results of a long-term field study on the ecology and social organization of two groups of black spider monkeys (Ateles paniscus chamek) in Peru are reported. Demography, ranging patterns, and activity budgets provide insight into some of the proximate determinants of fission-fusion social organization in this species and illustrate the different strategies used by males and females to gain access to critical resources. Longitudinal data on known individuals provide evidence for male natal philopatry and female emigration at sexual maturity in this population. Interbirth intervals are long (mean = 34.5 months) in comparison with most other primate species, and 5 of 15 infants seen within a few days of birth died or disappeared before they were a year old. Home ranges are large (150–250 ha) and fairly discrete; overlap with neighboring groups is on the order of 10–15%. Males and females differed substantially in their ranging patterns; females, particularly those with infants, restricted much of their ranging to a “core area” 20–33% the size of the total group range, whereas males ranged more evenly over the entire area occupied by the group. Daily path length varied over almost an order of magnitude from 465 m to 4,070 m, with a mean of 1977 m. Males spent more time traveling and less time feeding than most females. These results are compared with those obtained in previous studies of Ateles and with similar data from other primate species to assess their implications for the evolution of fission-fusion sociality in spider monkeys. The ecological factors responsible for the evolution of very similar social organizations in spider monkeys and chimpanzees are discussed.     

Life cycle assessment and life cycle costing of road infrastructure in residential neighbourhoods

Purpose

The built environment consists of a huge amount of infrastructure, such as roads and utilities. The objective of this paper is to assess the life cycle financial and environmental impact of road infrastructure in residential neighbourhoods and to analyse the relative contribution of road infrastructure in the total impact of neighbourhoods.

Methods

Various road sections are analysed based on an integrated life cycle approach, combining life cycle costing and life cycle assessment. To deal with complexity, a hierarchic assessment structure, using the principles of the “element method for cost control”, is implemented. Four neighbourhood models with diverse built densities are compared to gain insight in the relative impact of road infrastructure in neighbourhoods.

Results and discussion

The results reveal important financial and environmental impact differences between the road sections analysed. Main contributors to the life cycle financial and environmental impact are the surface layer and electrical and piped services. The contribution of road infrastructure to the total neighbourhood impact, ranging from 2 to 9 % of the total cost, is relatively limited, compared to buildings, but not negligible in low built density neighbourhoods.

Conclusions

Good spatial planning of the neighbourhood is recommended to reduce the amount of road infrastructure and the related financial and environmental impact. The priority should be to design denser neighbourhood layouts, before decreasing the financial and environmental impact of the road sections.

     

色林错-普若岗日国家公园潜在建设区生态环境脆弱性格局评估

西藏色林错及周边区域是高原高寒草原生态系统中珍稀濒危生物物种最多的地区,也是高品质自然景观和文化遗产集中分布区,建立色林错-普若岗日国家公园(以下简称"色-普国家公园")首要考虑当地脆弱的生态环境问题。本研究遵循"因素识别-指标构建-单因子评估-综合评估"的基本思路,识别色-普国家公园潜在建设区的生态环境脆弱性因素,开展冻融侵蚀、水土流失、土地沙化、土壤风蚀、生境环境敏感性单因子评估,结合海拔、坡度、重要生态系统等限定因子,实现对国家公园潜在建设区生态环境脆弱性综合评估,以期为未来国家公园空间范围的确定、功能分区以及适度开展生态旅游等空间布局提供基础支撑。研究表明:(1)潜在建设区存在较严重的冻融侵蚀、水土流失、草地退化、生物多样性减少等生态环境问题。(2)单因子评估显示,潜在建设区主要属于生态环境的中度和高度敏感区、水土流失的中度敏感区、冻融侵蚀的轻度和中度敏感区,土壤风蚀的不敏感和轻度敏感区、土壤沙化的不敏感区。(3)综合评估显示,潜在建设区生态环境脆弱性高,高度脆弱区面积比例达57.60%,主要分布在色林错的西部和北部;低度脆弱区仅占7.38%,主要分布在色林错东部;尼玛县低度脆...     

Changes in tropical forest vegetation along an altitudinal gradient in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Tanzania

This study describes changes in woody vegetation in the Mwanihana forest, Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Tanzania, over an altitude range of 470–1700 m. Two methods, fixed‐ and variable‐area plots, are compared to elucidate altitudinal variation in tropical forest structure, diversity and community composition. Six 25 m × 100 m fixed area plots recorded a total of 2143 woody stems of ≥3 cm d.b.h. from 204 species. The 78 variable‐area plots recorded the nearest twenty trees of ≥20 cm d.b.h. to an objectively chosen point, giving a total of 1560 stems in 9.1 ha from 156 species. A linear trend of increasing stem density with altitude was seen for variable‐area plots. Species diversity is highest at high elevations. There was no clear zonation of elevational vegetation types. Restricted range taxa occur at all altitudes sampled. The study also revealed some methodological considerations. Bias in sample size and plot area can be tested by employing two sampling methods. Of the two methods used, fixed area plots are preferred as variable area plots are impractical in tangled understorey. Plot size must be controlled for in order to make reliable observations of diversity. Sampling along a continuous or near‐continuous altitudinal gradient with sufficient replication is also important.     

Multiscale modelling of the drivers of rainforest boundary dynamics in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia

Understanding the relative importance of factors driving savanna–forest dynamics is vital as changes in the extent of tropical forests can have major impacts on global climate and carbon balance, biodiversity, and human well-being. Comparison of aerial photographs for 50 rainforest patches in Kakadu National Park had previously revealed a landscape wide expansion of rainforest boundaries between 1964 and 2004. Here, we used generalized linear and mixed effects models to assess the role of fire, buffalo impact, and patch characteristics in determining the rate of boundary change. The analysis was conducted at both the patch scale, and within-patch (plot) scale, to capture the different processes operating. At the patch scale, the rate of change was best explained by rainforest type and historical buffalo impact. Fire activity, patch size, and fragmentation were not important predictors of the rate of change. At the plot scale, distance from rainforest edge was the most important predictor of the probability of change, while the fragmentation and aspect of the boundary were unimportant. Rainforest expansion has occurred through a process of margin extension rather than eruption of new patches. The rainforest expansion is consistent with having been driven primarily by shifts in global change phenomena, such as increased rainfall and atmospheric CO₂, rather than changes in disturbance regime. It appears that the current fire regimes are not sufficiently destructive to limit the overall expansion of the rainforest patches. Rainforest type and historical buffalo impact have mediated the rate of change at the patch scale.     

The structure and organisation of an Amazonian bird community remains little changed after nearly four decades in Manu National Park

Documenting patterns of spatiotemporal change in hyper-diverse communities remains a challenge for tropical ecology yet is increasingly urgent as some long-term studies have shown major declines in bird communities in undisturbed sites. In 1982, Terborgh et al. quantified the structure and organisation of the bird community in a 97-ha. plot in southeastern Peru. We revisited the same plot in 2018 using the same methodologies as the original study to evaluate community-wide changes. Contrary to longitudinal studies of other neotropical bird communities (Tiputini, Manaus, and Panama), we found little change in community structure and organisation, with increases in 5, decreases in 2 and no change in 7 foraging guilds. This apparent stability suggests that large forest reserves such as the Manu National Park, possibly due to regional topographical influences on precipitation, still provide the conditions for establishing refugia from at least some of the effects of global change on bird communities.     

Life cycle assessment of construction materials: the influence of assumptions in end-of-life modelling

Purpose

The nature of end-of-life (EoL) processes is highly uncertain for constructions built today. This uncertainty is often neglected in life cycle assessments (LCAs) of construction materials. This paper tests how EoL assumptions influence LCA comparisons of two alternative roof construction elements: glue-laminated wooden beams and steel frames. The assumptions tested include the type of technology and the use of attributional or consequential modelling approaches.

Methods

The study covers impact categories often considered in the construction industry: total and non-renewable primary energy demand, water depletion, global warming, eutrophication and photo-chemical oxidant creation. The following elements of the EoL processes are tested: energy source used in demolition, fuel type used for transportation to the disposal site, means of disposal and method for handling allocation problems of the EoL modelling. Two assumptions regarding technology development are tested: no development from today’s technologies and that today’s low-impact technologies have become representative for the average future technologies. For allocating environmental impacts of the waste handling to by-products (heat or recycled material), an attributional cut-off approach is compared with a consequential substitution approach. A scenario excluding all EoL processes is also considered.

Results and discussion

In all comparable scenarios, glulam beams have clear environmental benefits compared to steel frames, except for in a scenario in which steel frames are recycled and today’s average steel production is substituted, in which impacts are similar. The choice of methodological approach (attributional, consequential or fully disregarding EoL processes) does not seem to influence the relative performance of the compared construction elements. In absolute terms, four factors are shown to be critical for the results: whether EoL phases are considered at all, whether recycling or incineration is assumed in the disposal of glulam beams, whether a consequential or attributional approach is used in modelling the disposal processes and whether today’s average technology or a low-impact technology is assumed for the substituted technology.

Conclusions

The results suggest that EoL assumptions can be highly important for LCA comparisons of construction materials, particularly in absolute terms. Therefore, we recommend that EoL uncertainties are taken into consideration in any LCA of long-lived products. For the studied product type, LCA practitioners should particularly consider EoL assumptions regarding the means of disposal, the expected technology development of disposal processes and any substituted technology and the choice between attributional and consequential approaches.     

Breeding birds in the tropical rain forests of Kibale National Park, Uganda

A combination of trapping and foot surveys was used to assess the breeding status of birds in unlogged and logged sites in the tropical rain forest of Kibale National Park, Uganda. Breeding of forest edge and gap species was greatly enhanced by logging, whereas crevice and hole nesting specialist breeders were adversely affected. Egg‐laying periods corresponded to higher rainfall regimes at the nearby field station. The relevance of these findings to bird conservation is discussed.     

Life cycle assessment of cash payments in the Netherlands

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - This study quantifies the impact of the Dutch cash payment system on the environment and on climate change using a life cycle assessment (LCA)....     

Life cycle assessment in the furniture industry: the case study of an office cabinet

Purpose

In an effort to reduce the environmental impacts of the furniture sector, this study aimed to diagnose the environmental performance of an office cabinet throughout its life cycle.

Methods

An attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) was used, based on the ISO 14044 Standard and ILCD Handbook. The scope of the study considered the entire supply chain, from cradle to grave, including the steps of pre-manufacturing, manufacturing, use, and post-use of the product. The impact assessment method was the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) 2011 midpoint.

Results and discussion

The results identified that the most significant environmental impact of the furniture life cycle was due to the distances covered and production of the main raw material, wood medium-density particleboard (MDP). The evaluation of transport scenarios showed environmental tradeoffs for truck fuel switches and environmental gains for the distribution of MDP from closer suppliers by truck, as well as from current supplier by truck and ship in the major categories. Furthermore, evaluation of the office cabinet post-use options showed that reuse, recycling, or energy recovery from waste cause significant environmental gains in the major categories. Wooden furniture is a potential carbon sink if its life cycle does not emit more greenhouse gases than its materials can store. The impacts of substitution scenarios varied depending on the type of product avoided.

Conclusions

The LCA proved a powerful method to diagnose and manage environmental impacts in complex product systems. The sensitivity analysis showed that it is possible to reduce the environmental impacts and, at the same time, make the furniture industry increase its economic gains and net carbon stock in the anthroposphere.

     

Life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental performance of new construction material from stainless steel slag

Purpose

Many new opportunities are explored to lower the CO₂ emissions of the cement industry. Academic and industrial researches are currently focused on the possibility of recycling steel production residues in the cement industry, in order to produce new “low-carbon” binders for construction materials. The purpose of this paper is to assess the environmental benefits and costs of steel residue valorisation processes to produce a new binder for construction materials.

Methods

Among other stainless steel slags (SSS), argon oxygen decarburisation (AOD)-slag has the potential to be recovered as a binder during the production of new construction materials. Alkali activation and carbonation processes can, in fact, activate the binding properties of the AOD-slag. However, AOD-slag is today only recycled as low-quality aggregate. For the present study, three different types of construction blocks (called SSS-blocks) were developed starting from the AOD-slag (one block through alkali activation and two blocks through carbonation). The data from the production of the three construction blocks have been collected and used to perform a life cycle assessment (LCA) study, comparing SSS-block production with the production of traditional paver ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete.

Results and discussion

The analysis showed that SSS-block production through alkali activation and carbonation has the potential of lowering some of the environmental impacts of OPC-concrete. The LCA results also show that the main bottleneck in the alkali activation process is the production of the alkali activators required in the process, while the use of electricity and of pure CO₂ streams in carbonation lowers the environmental performances of the entire process.

Conclusions

The valorisation of AOD-slag to produce new construction materials is a promising route to lower the environmental impacts of cement and concrete industries. This product-level analysis stresses the need of updating the LCI datasets for alkali activators and boric oxide and of widening the scope of the environmental analysis up to system level, including potential economic interactions and market exchanges between steel and construction sectors.