A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01443-4

Bangladesh is a country of natural disasters and climatic hazards, which frequently affect its inhabitants’ lives and livelihoods. Among the various risks and disasters, floods are the most frequent hazard that makes haor households vulnerable. Therefore, this study was undertaken to estimate livelihood vulnerability to flooding within the flood-prone haor ecosystem in Bangladesh. Primary data were

Probabilistic health risk assessment has widely been used for more realistic risk analysis of contaminants. However, the existing probabilistic modeling process may be unable to reflect the actual health risks comprehensively. In the present study, the Monte Carlo simulation was employed to assess the probabilistic health risks of exposing to arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in groundwater through ingestion

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01440-7

Ensuring food security while also protecting biodiversity requires a governance system that can address intra- and intersectoral complexity. In this paper, we sought to explore the governance challenges surrounding food security and biodiversity conservation through an empirical study in Jimma zone, southwestern Ethiopia. We used bottom-up snowball sampling to identify stakeholders and then held semi-structured

Flow regulation impacts on riparian vegetation composition, often increasing the prevalence of exotic and terrestrial plant species. Environmental flows may benefit native riparian vegetation via the promotion of plant recruitment from riparian soil seedbanks, but this is dependent on an intact native seedbank. Thus, we assessed the composition of the soil seedbank of different riverine geomorphic

Models are essential to assess the socio-economic credentials of new agroforestry systems. In this study, we showcase robust optimisation as a tool to evaluate agroforestry’s potential to meet farmers’ multiple goals. Our modelling approach has three parts. First, we use a discrete land-use model to evaluate two agroforestry systems (alley cropping and silvopasture) and conventional land uses against

Climate change (CC) effects on agriculture development and households’ vulnerability are widely recognized. Being aware of the induced effects of climatic risks, farmers have adopted adaptation strategies to build resilience. Analyzes the determinants of choice of adaptation strategies using binary models can lead to an estimation bias, since the number of adopted strategies may be correlated. This

We explored how consumers value the ecological and socio-cultural benefits of diversified food production systems in Finland. We used a stated preference method and contingent valuation to quantify consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the benefits of increased farm and regional scale diversity of cultivation practices and crop rotations. Three valuation scenarios were presented to a representative

This paper reports on an exploratory case study to help facilitate a culture of dialogue in Japan. There is an emphasis on proposing methods for polyphonic dialogue among citizens, and between citizens and experts, to effectively manage the environment. This paper argues that a culture of dialogue is essential to pluralistic participatory environmental governance. A random sampling-based citizen dialogue—involving

The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest single ice-free area in Antarctica, and of considerable scientific and conservation value as an extreme polar desert. This is recognised through the McMurdo Dry Valleys Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA), where management’s goals focus on protection of its unique features, while facilitating science access. Using a mix of remote sensing and existing cartography

The role of time in estimating the cost of forest carbon is often ignored in the literature, nor does the literature address the issues of where and when the purchase of forest carbon storage becomes socially beneficial. In our study, we identify the spatial and temporal allocations of forest carbon investments that are socially beneficial based on empirical analysis. We use the Central and Southern

Hydrographic basins are the fundamental unit for the effective territorial planning. However, areas of higher and lesser susceptibility to degrading processes can occur in the same region, where different actions are required to preserve natural resources, as soil and water. In this context, this study aimed to propose a prioritization model to guide the territorial management in hydrographic basins

Despite effects of dams and water extraction on river hydrology and consequences of aquatic ecosystems being broadly appreciated, empirical evidence is lacking for many regions (e.g. subtropics). Evidence is necessary to determine (i) the circumstances where environmental flows are necessary to protect or improve ecological processes and (ii) what hydrological events are required to achieve those ecological

The groundwater sustainability of an alluvial aquifer in the western Iran was examined by using eight different social, economic, and environmental indicators. Differing types of indicators were used including groundwater extraction, groundwater quality, and groundwater vulnerability from the environmental indicators proposed by UNESCO 2007 and the legal framework, institutional capacity, public participation

A tripartite environmental conflict over the Al-Hawizeh–Azim Marsh located in the Tigris River Basin is strategically investigated as an instance of a higher-level hydro-political conflict, using the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR). The GMCR+ Decision Support System is employed to investigate this intriguing dispute under the status quo and a potential hydro-political scenario considered

The Back River Project is an approved gold mine in Nunavut, Canada owned by Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. Sabina developed a comprehensive community engagement program during the environmental assessment phase of the Project to share information, receive and address local feedback and concerns, and develop productive relationships in support of Project advancement. This paper outlines Sabina’s engagement

The community-based forest management program has been successful in the conservation of forest cover in Nepal. We investigated forest cover change for the Mechinagar and Buddhashanti Landscape (MBL) area within the Jhapa district, Nepal, during 1990–2019 using Landsat images and GIS tools and valuated the major ecosystem services (ES) of Kalika Community-managed Forest (KCF) within the MBL landscape

Biodiversity offsets have become a widely accepted means of attempting to compensate for biodiversity loss from development, and are applied in planning and decision-making processes at many levels. Yet their use is contentious, and numerous problems with both the concept and the practice have been identified in the literature. Our starting point is the understanding that offsets are a kind of biodiversity

Hundreds of oil wells were drilled along Oil Creek in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s, birthing the modern oil industry. No longer in operation, many wells are now classified as abandoned, and, due to their age, their locations are either unknown or inaccurately recorded. These historic-well sites present environmental, safety, and economic concerns in the form of possible methane leaks and physical

Community-based conservation and resource management (CBCRM) programs often incorporate the dual goals of poverty alleviation and conservation. However, robust assessments of CBCRM program outcomes are relatively scarce. This study uses a multidisciplinary, systems approach to assess the ecological and social dimensions of success of an internationally acclaimed CBCRM program. This program, located

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01412-3

Our digital age is characterized by both a generalized access to data and an increased call for participation of the public and other stakeholders and communities in policy design and decision-making. This context raises new challenges for political decision-makers and analysts in providing these actors with new means and moral duties for decision support, including in the area of environmental policy

The negative effects of roads on wildlife populations are a growing concern. Movement corridors and road-kill data are typically used to prioritize road segments for mitigation measures. Some research suggests that locations where animals move across roads following corridors coincide with locations where they are often killed by vehicles. Other research indicates that corridors and road-kill rarely

Riparian zones provide multiple benefits in agricultural landscapes, but nitrogen (N) loading can cause N2O emissions. There is a knowledge gap on how different types of riparian vegetation influence N2O emissions. This study quantified N2O emissions from a rehabilitated riparian zone with deciduous trees (RH), a herbaceous (grassed) riparian zone (GRS), a natural forested riparian zone with deciduous

Community participation in climate change adaptation (CCA) programs has been advocated for long, but its implementation remains uncertain. There is also very little understanding and consensus on how and to what extent local communities can and should be involved in these projects. Arguably, both the concept and practice of community participation remain equivocal and contentious due to a lack of systematic

As China’s demand for paper products increases, China’s paper industry faces enormous pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By using material flow analysis in combination with input–output analysis, this study measured the waste paper recovery rate in a more accurate method and analyzed the impact of waste paper recycling on the carbon emissions from China’s paper industry. China’s waste paper

There has been much written about the negative social and environmental impacts of large hydropower dams, particularly the impacts on people and the environment caused by flooding linked to the creation of large reservoirs. There has also long been recognition of the importance of Indigenous and local knowledge for understanding ecological processes and environmental impacts. In this paper, however

Biological monitoring is the evaluating changes in the environment using the biological responses with the intent of using such information in quality control of the ecosystem. Biomarkers and bioindicators are two main components of the hierarchy of biomonitoring process. Bioindicators can be used to monitor changes of ecosystems and to distinguish alteration of human impact from natural variability

Wildlife value orientations (WVOs) are used to address human–wildlife conflicts by developing value-framed messaging. However, little is known about whether WVOs (i.e., mutualism, domination) are useful in distance-related wildlife safety communication strategies. This study explores the predictive ability of mutualism and domination value orientations on study participants’ levels of agreement with

Local communities contribute to broader biodiversity protection goals when managing their immediate environment when they establish protected areas. However, their efforts are geographically constrained and often uncoordinated. We compare protected areas established by local communities through the direct democracy process in California, US, to protected areas created and managed by two conservation

Subnational entities are recognizing the need to systematically examine options for reducing their carbon footprints. However, few robust and comprehensive analyses are available that lay out how US states and regions can most effectively contribute. This paper describes an approach developed for Georgia—a state in the southeastern United States called “Drawdown Georgia”, our research involves (1)

The intensification of the Baltic Sea eutrophication is associated with the increase of anthropogenic nutrients loads, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus introduced into surface waters from a diffuse, point and natural background sources. Despite the observed decreasing trends in nutrient concentrations in some parts of the Baltic Sea, eutrophication-related indicators continue to deteriorate. This accelerates

The ability of communities to react to risks and disturbances is for their balance, development, and sustainability. The concept of resilience provides a way to think about policies and actions for future changes in socioeconomic and ecological-environmental systems. This paper analyzes, in the context of mining, the perception of the resilience of Canaã dos Carajás population in Pará State, Brazilian

Who worries first about an invasive alien species: scientists or the general public, or do both become concerned simultaneously? Taking thirteen invasive alien species in the Netherlands, this article reconstructs the development of their public and scientific salience: the attention they attracted and the knowledge about them. Salience was assessed from the number of publications from 1997 onwards

Cactus has shown great capabilities as a bio coagulant/flocculent in the treatment of wastewater and as a factor for sustainable development of the environment, due to its abundance and non-toxicity for human health. This has encouraged the present study based on the design of experiments to optimize the two operating factors: the bio coagulant dosage and initial pH. The effect of these considered

Tidal marshes are increasingly vulnerable to degradation or loss from eutrophication, land-use changes, and accelerating sea-level rise, making restoration necessary to recover ecosystem services. To evaluate effects of restoration planting density and sea-level rise on ecosystem function (i.e., nitrogen removal), we restored three marshes, which differed in elevation, at Weeks Bay National Estuarine

The complex relationship that exists between water resources and agricultural production has been increasing constantly globally. Several factors are interacting to influence the management of water resources making the system complex and dynamic. To increase the understanding of these complex and dynamic systems, relevant tools are needed to identify the causal relationships that exist between the

Stream classification frameworks are important tools for conserving aquatic resources. Yet despite their utility, most classification frameworks have not incorporated network connectivity. We developed and compared three biologically informed stream classification frameworks considering the effects of variables indexing local habitat and/or connectivity on stream fish communities. The first framework

Water utilities in arid regions deal with multifaceted issues of natural groundwater contamination, high treatment costs, and low water rates. These utilities rely on intermittent supplies resulting in numerous water quality failures at source, treatment, distribution, and in-house plumbing systems. The present research presents an inclusive risk assessment methodology for managing water quality from

Social networks and related social processes play a critical role in natural resources and environmental governance. In this paper, an environmental governance case is analyzed from a social network perspective. We explore how social networks of proponents for and opponents against environmental regulations are formed and developed and how these social networks facilitate or hinder environmental regulations

While there are regulatory requirements that regulators should assess the impact of landscape-scale changes on the success of US Clean Water Act wetland compensatory mitigation sites, these requirements are poorly specified and very little work has been done to characterize how landscape change impacts CWA compensation sites. We created a rapid assessment method with both site-based and landscape-scale

Globally, many river systems are under stress due to overconsumption of water. Governments have responded with programmes to deliver environmental water to improve environmental outcomes. Although such programmes are essential, they may not be sufficient to achieve all desired environmental outcomes. The benefits of environmental water allocation may be improved using ‘complementary measures’, which

In evaluating effectiveness for collaborative environmental governance arrangements, a key concern is describing not just the processes and actors that are a part of these systems, but also the impacts that these processes have on ecological and social conditions. Existing research delineates an emphasis on process variables over outcome variables, as well as the difficulties of demonstrating causal

Selected heavy metal-trace element (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Se, Sr, and V) levels were determined by the ICP-MS method in whole-blood samples of fishermen and control group who accommodate in four provinces of the Marmara Sea. Mercury (1.267 ± 1.061 µg/L to 0.796 ± 0.853 µg/L) and lead (17.8 ± 9.0 µg/L to 12.0 ± 6.83 µg/L) levels were higher in the fishermen group than that of control group

Hurricane Maria, a category 4 tropical cyclone, hit the US non-incorporated territory of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Widespread physical and natural infrastructure damage was observed, especially in already vulnerable coastal communities. As public sector funding availability for natural infrastructure (ex. coastal ecosystems) increases, mechanisms for its efficient and equitable allocation

As urbanization affects the quality of regional ecosystems, which are needed to ensure the well-being of residents, urban land management plans should consider ecosystem services. While several studies have assessed urbanization impacts on regional ecosystem services in developing urban areas, they used limited approaches that only considered options pertaining to urban green space management. A modeling

The emerging and underdeveloped countries in Africa face numerous difficulties managing infectious waste during the SARS-CoV-2 disease, known as the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, the main aim of this paper is to help decision-makers in African countries to select the best available waste management strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present research undertakes seamless assessment and prioritization

This study presents an effective approach to tackle the challenge of long-term monitoring of contaminated groundwater sites where remediation leaves residual contamination in the subsurface. Traditional long-term monitoring of contaminated groundwater sites focuses on measuring contaminant concentrations and is applicable to sites where contaminant mass is removed or degraded to a level below the regulatory

Climate change effects and increasing levels of imperviousness, cause many urban areas globally to experience larger rainfall runoff volumes that need to be managed to protect property and infrastructure, and avoid environmental pollution. Conventionally engineered, ‘grey’ stormwater infrastructure often is outdated and unable to control these increased runoff volumes. Green stormwater infrastructure

Chemical compositions of atmospheric fine particles like PM2.5 prove harmful to human health, particularly to cardiopulmonary functions. Multifaceted health effects of PM2.5 have raised broader, stronger concerns in recent years, calling for comprehensive environmental health-risk assessments to offer new insights into air-pollution control. However, there have been few studies adopting local air-quality-monitoring

Governance gaps at both the federal and state level increasingly necessitate local action and remain a key driver of community-based solutions. A localist paradigm—encompassing models such as community-based management, citizen science, and cooperative research—offers a promising approach for bridging governance gaps by engaging citizens, co-producing knowledge, fostering trust, and developing innovative

The province of British Columbia, Canada, began its community forests (CF) program by permitting a range of governance structures, both to allow flexibility and to discover the most appropriate structures for this new forestry tenure. The majority of municipalities participating in this program elected to hold their CF tenure through a separate corporation or limited-liability partnership arrangement

Fire behavior should be estimated accurately and multidimensionally to reduce the dangers and harmful effects of forest fires and to develop effective fire management strategies. Therefore, in this study, the most important factors affecting fire behavior were determined by statistical methods using data of 59 large forest fires that occurred between 1977 and 2017 in Turkey. Some data were obtained

This study aims to investigate leaching characteristics of zinc slag according to leaching tests, including; TCLP (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure), SPLP (Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure), ASTM-D3987 (American Society for Testing and Materials), and TS EN-12457-4 (Turkish Standards Institute) tests methods. The present study describes the adsorption potential of natural and biochar

Despite perceptions of high water availability, adequate access to sufficient water resources remains a major challenge in Alaska. This paper uses a participatory modeling approach to investigate household water vulnerability in remote Alaska and to examine factors that affect water availability and water access. Specifically, the work asks: how do water policy stakeholders conceptualize the key processes

The purposes of this study is to show the corporate characteristics of companies which have been operating in the fields of small-scale treatment plants’ (SSTPs’) design, construction, and installation processes, and to exhibit findings/perceptions of company employees on issues such as the initial investment and operating costs, common production and operating problems, the functionality of the small-scale

The state of Alaska is experiencing increased coastal erosion due to climatic changes that threaten shoreline, infrastructure, and Alaska Native ways of life. While several Alaska Native villages have been impacted by severe erosion, additional communities face burgeoning erosion concerns. St. Paul, a remote island located in the Bering Sea, Alaska, and home to ~450 Unangan, or Aleut, residents, is