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The
Influence of Previous Land Use and Path Proximity on the Distribution
of Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) in Robert Allerton
Park, Central Illinois, USA
-- Matthew
D Dykstra, Danilo Chinea J and Anton G Endress
Like
many natural areas in human-disturbed landscapes, those in
the Midwest are susceptible in varying degrees of invasion
from non-indigenous species. Approximately one-fourth of the
plant species occurring in the Midwest are non-indigenous.
Of these, garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae),
is considered among the most problematic. This study examines
the distribution and abundance of A. petiolata at Allerton
Park, a natural area in East Central Illinois, with respect
to previous land use, plant community traits, and distance
from paths. There was no significant difference in A. petiolata
density among land cover categories and between forested
areas having different land use histories in 1997 and 1998.
However, A. petiolata density was significantly greater
within a 35 m band from footpaths in forest, the land cover
category with the least disturbance. Plant density (excluding
A. petiolata) per m2 was positively correlated
with species richness and density of A. petiolata rosettes.
The density per m2 of A. petiolata rosettes
was negatively correlated with the density of mature A.
petiolata plants.
©
2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Effects
of an Oil Refinery Effluent on the Defense Mechanisms of the
Brackish Water Clam, Villorita cyprinoides var.
cochinensis
-- A Mohandas,
Hema M and Rajalakshmi S
The
brackish water clam, Villorita cyprinoides var.
cochinensis, was exposed to an oil refinery effluent at
8, 16 and 24 ppt salinities. Significant fluctuations in total
hemocyte counts were observed in those exposed to the effluents
at 16 and 24 ppt salinities. The significant drop in the total
counts at 16 ppt has been attributed to cell injury and cell
death, while increase in the total counts at 24 ppt has been
attributed more to trans-migration of hemocytes from hemocyte
reservoir than to hemocyte proliferation under stressed condition.
Since the internal defense mechanisms in molluscs are primarily
cellular in nature, fluctuations in total hemocyte counts
could theoretically affect the efficiency of immune system
in them.
©
2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Selection
of Solid Waste Management Technology using Analytical Hierarchy
Process
-- Latifah Abd Manaf,
Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basri and Hassan Basri
The
current situation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) is considered
ineffective, especially in developing countries like Malaysia.
The decision-making process is getting more complicated: while
more alternative technologies are available, the budget remains
limited. Due to the large number of participants in the decision-making
process, the selection of proper mixture technologies for
an effective management of wastes has become a more difficult
task. Hence, in solving the problem wisely, Analytical Hierarchy
Process (AHP) is taken into consideration to aid the decision-making
process. It is a quantitative method of decision-making to
evaluate the performance of solid waste management technologies
available, such as recycling, composting, incineration and
the combination technologies. A case study was conducted at
Port Dickson Municipal Council, Malaysia, to demonstrate the
potential AHP application in the selection of the most appropriate
technology for solid waste management. The results on benefit-to-cost
ratios showed that composting, recycling, a combination of
recycling and composting, and a combination of composting
and incineration could be the most appropriate alternatives.
However, the combination of recycling, composting and incineration
turned out to be the worst choice, followed by incineration,
and the combination of recycling and incineration.
©
2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Tsunami
on Kerala Coast: A Study of Groundwater Quality along the
Arattupuzha and Alappad Coast
--
V Sivanandan Achari,
C A Jaison, P M Alex, P Seralathan,
A
P Pradeepkumar and E Shaji
The
Arattupuzha-Alappad coast in Kerala, India—9° 08'
N and 76° 28' E—is one of the most severely affected
coasts by the December 26, 2004 tsunami. It is a narrow strip
of barrier island that is 20 km long and 50m-200m wide with
an elevation ranging from 0 m to 1.5m, and separates the Vembanad
estuary from the sea. Being very close to the sea and frequently
subjected to coastal erosion, the water quality has been a
concern in this coastal strip; and especially after the recent
tsunami this strip seems to be more vulnerable. In the study,
an exercise is undertaken to measure the impact of tsunami
on the quality of water in this narrow land. Water quality
is assessed by calculaing water quality indices based on select
parameters, like pH, temperature, turbidity, DO, BOD, TDS,
phosphate, nitrate and faecal coliform, for a period of 8
months up to October 2005 just after the tsunami (December
26, 2004) from 11 sampling stations, mainly dug wells and
bore wells of the affected region.
©
2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
Meiobenthos
of Coastal Marine Environments of India: A Review
--
Olivia J Fernando
Temporal
and spatial distribution patterns of benthos at all latitudes
are determined by environmental variables like the availability
of food, sediment types and associated physicochemical conditions.
Ecological and distribution studies on meiofauna have been
carried out in India for more than five decades; however,
information on their diversity, biology, and interrelationships
are meager. The present review attempts to emphasize the need
for studies based on uniform and standardized sampling techniques
and taxonomy to understand the patterns of species diversity
of meiobenthos and the effect of environmental variables on
their distribution and species diversity.
©
2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved.
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