The role of historical dolphin takes and habitat degradation in shaping the present status of northern Adriatic cetaceans

2004 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Bearzi ◽  
Drasko Holcer ◽  
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
Keyword(s):  
Present Status ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Northern Adriatic

scholarly journals Defining the niche for niche construction: evolutionary and ecological niches

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Trappes
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Niche Construction ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Niche Concept ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Compare And Contrast ◽  
Extreme Habitat

AbstractNiche construction theory (NCT) aims to transform and unite evolutionary biology and ecology. Much of the debate about NCT has focused on construction. Less attention has been accorded to the niche: what is it, exactly, that organisms are constructing? In this paper I compare and contrast the definition of the niche used in NCT with ecological niche definitions. NCT’s concept of the evolutionary niche is defined as the sum of selection pressures affecting a population. So defined, the evolutionary niche is narrower than the ecological niche. Moreover, when contrasted with a more restricted ecological niche concept, it has a slightly different extension. I point out three kinds of cases in which the evolutionary niche does not coincide with realized ecological niches: extreme habitat degradation, commensalism, and non-limiting or super-abundant resources. These conceptual differences affect the role of NCT in unifying ecology and evolutionary biology.

scholarly journals The Legacy of the Idrija Mine Twenty-Five Years after Closing: Is Mercury in the Water Column of the Gulf of Trieste Still an Environmental Issue?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10192
Author(s):  
Elena Pavoni ◽  
Elisa Petranich ◽  
Sergio Signore ◽  
Giorgio Fontolan ◽  
Stefano Covelli
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Northern Adriatic Sea ◽  
Northern Adriatic ◽  
High Discharge ◽  
Fine Sediments ◽  
Gulf Of Trieste ◽  
Freshwater Inputs

Mercury (Hg) contamination in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic Sea) due to mining activity in Idrija (Slovenia) still represents an issue of environmental concern. The Isonzo/Soča River’s freshwater inputs have been identified as the main source of Hg into the Gulf, especially following periods of medium-high discharge. This research aims to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of dissolved (DHg) and particulate (PHg) Hg along the water column in the northernmost sector of the Gulf, a shallow and sheltered embayment suitable for the accumulation of fine sediments. Sediment and water samples were collected under unperturbed and perturbed environmental conditions induced by natural and anthropogenic factors. Mercury in the sediments (0.77–6.39 µg g−1) and its relationship to grain size were found to be consistent with previous research focused on the entire Gulf, testifying to the common origin of the sediment. Results showed a notable variability of DHg (<LOD–149 ng L−1) and PHg (0.39–12.5 ng L−1) depending on the interaction between riverine and marine hydrological conditions. Mercury was found to be mainly partitioned in the suspended particles, especially following periods of high discharge, thus confirming the crucial role of the river inputs in regulating PHg distribution in the Gulf.

scholarly journals Precision agriculture in Australia: present status and recent developments

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 575-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bramley ◽  
Sam Trengove
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Present Status ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Spatially Distributed ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Fine Tune ◽  
Reduced Risk

A brief account of the present status of Precision Agriculture (PA) in Australia is presented, and areas of opportunity in the grains, sugar and wine industries are identified. In particular, these relate to the use of spatially-distributed experimentation to fine-tune management so as to achieve production efficiencies, reduced risk of environmental impact and enhanced food security, and the management of crop quality through selective harvesting and product streaming. The latter may be an important avenue by which farmers can take a more active role in the off-farm part of agricultural value chains. The important role of grower groups in facilitating PA adoption is also discussed.

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