Emerging recognition of two fundamental errors under-pinning past polices for natural resource issues heralds awareness of the need for a worldwide fundamental change in thinking and in practice of environmental management. The first error has been an implicit assumption that ecosystem responses to human use are linear, predictable and controllable. The second has been an assumption that human and natural systems can be treated independently. However, evidence that has been accumulating in diverse regions all over the world suggests that natural and social systems behave in nonlinear ways, exhibit marked thresholds in their dynamics, and that social-ecological systems act as strongly coupled, complex and evolving integrated systems. This article is a summary of a report prepared on behalf of the Environmental Advisory Council to the Swedish Government, as input to the process of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa in 26 August 4 September 2002. We use the concept of resilience—the capacity to buffer change, learn and develop—as a framework for understanding how to sustain and enhance adaptive capacity in a complex world of rapid transformations. Two useful tools for resilience-building in social-ecological systems are structured scenarios and active adaptive management. These tools require and facilitate a social context with flexible and open institutions and multi-level governance systems that allow for learning and increase adaptive capacity without foreclosing future development options.

https://bioone.org/journals/AMBIO-A-Journal-of-the-Human-Environment/volume-31/issue-5/0044-7447-31.5.437/Resilience-and-Sustainable-Development--Building-Adaptive-Capacity-in-a/10.1579/0044-7447-31.5.437.pdf

Resilience and sustainable development: building adaptive capacity in a world of transformations

Cyanobacterial toxins: risk management for health protection

Blue-green algae are found in lakes, ponds, rivers and brackish waters throughout the world. In case of excessive growth such as bloom formation, these bacteria can produce inherent toxins in quantities causing toxicity in mammals, including humans. These cyanotoxins include cyclic peptides and alkaloids. Among the cyclic peptides are the microcystins and the nodularins. The alkaloids include anatoxin-a, anatoxin-a(S), cylindrospermopsin, saxitoxins (STXs), aplysiatoxins and lyngbyatoxin. Both biological and chemical methods are used to determine cyanotoxins. Bioassays and biochemical assays are nonspecific, so they can only be used as screening methods. HPLC has some good prospects. For the subsequent detection of these toxins different detectors may be used, ranging from simple UV-spectrometry via fluorescence detection to various types of MS. The main problem in the determination of cyanobacterial toxins is the lack of reference materials of all relevant toxins. In general, toxicity data on cyanotoxins are rather scarce. A majority of toxicity data are known to be of microcystin-LR. For nodularins, data from a few animal studies are available. For the alkaloids, limited toxicity data exist for anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin and STX. Risk assessment for acute exposure could be relevant for some types of exposure. Nevertheless, no acute reference doses have formally been derived thus far. For STX(s), many countries have established tolerance levels in bivalves, but these limits were set in view of STX(s) as biotoxins, accumulating in marine shellfish. Official regulations for other cyanotoxins have not been established, although some (provisional) guideline values have been derived for microcystins in drinking water by WHO and several countries.

Toxins of cyanobacteria

Unexpected epidemics, abrupt catastrophic shifts in biophysical systems, and economic crises that cascade across national borders and regions are events that challenge the steering capacity of governance at all political levels. This article seeks to extend the applicability of governance theory by developing hypotheses about how different governance types can be expected to handle processes of change characterized by nonlinear dynamics, threshold effects, cascades, and limited predictability. The first part of the article argues the relevance of a complex adaptive system approach and goes on to review how well governance theory acknowledges the intriguing behavior of complex adaptive systems. In the second part, we develop a typology of governance systems based on their adaptive capacities. Finally, we investigate how combinations of governance systems on different levels buffer or weaken the capacity to govern complex adaptive systems.

/pdf/governance-and-complexity-emerging-issues-for-governance-31y06bom9y.pdf

Governance and Complexity—Emerging Issues for Governance Theory

Cyanobacteria possess many adaptations to develop population maxima or “blooms” in lakes and reservoirs. A potential consequence of freshwater blooms of many cyanobacterial species is the production of potent toxins, including the cyclic hepatotoxins, microcystins (MCs). Approximately 70 MC variants have been isolated. Their toxicity to humans and other animals is well studied, because of public health concerns. This review focuses instead on the production and degradation of MCs in freshwater environments and their effects on aquatic organisms. Genetic research has revealed the existence of MC-related genes, yet the expression of these genes seems to be regulated by complex mechanisms and is influenced by environmental factors. In natural water bodies, the species composition of cyanobacterial communities and the ratio of toxic to nontoxic species and strains are largely responsible for total toxin production. Cyanobacteria play vital roles in aquatic food webs, yet production, accumulation, and toxicity...

Hepatotoxic Cyanobacteria: A Review of the Biological Importance of Microcystins in Freshwater Environments

Toxic cyanobacteria are increasingly being perceived as a potential health hazard, particularly in waters used for recreation. A few countries are developing regulations to protect human health from these toxins, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has published both a guideline value for one cyanotoxin in drinking water and a procedural guideline for recreational waters. This article presents an overview of the currently known cyanotoxins and of documented cases of human illnesses attributed to them. It further discusses exposure pathways and approaches to risk management. In this context, the WHO guideline for recreational waters is presented, and monitoring approaches are outlined.

Health risks caused by freshwater cyanobacteria in recreational waters.

Wastewater disposal by marine outfalls is proven and effective and is a reliable and cost effective solution with minimal environmental impacts The design and siting of submarine outfalls is a complex task that relies on many disciplines including oceanography, civil and environmental engineering, marine biology, construction, economics, and public relations Marine Wastewater Outfalls and Treatment Systems brings these disciplines together and outlines all tasks involved in the planning and design of a wastewater system involving a marine outfall

This book concerns the design of marine wastewater disposal systems: that is an ocean outfall plus treatment plant All aspects of outfall design and planning are covered, including water quality design criteria, mathematical modelling of water quality and dilution, gathering required oceanographic data, appropriate wastewater treatment for marine discharges, construction materials for marine pipelines, forces on pipelines and outfall design, outfall hydraulics, outfall construction, tunnelled outfalls, operation and maintenance, monitoring, case studies are discussed and methods for gaining public acceptance for the project are presented Finally, costs for many outfalls around the world are summarized and methods for estimating costs are given

This is the first book to consider all aspects of marine outfall planning and construction The authors are all extensively involved with outfall schemes and aware of recent developments The science and technology of all aspects of outfall discharges into coastal waters and estuaries of treated municipal or industrial wastewater has advanced considerably over the past few years Marine Wastewater Outfalls and Treatment Systems provides an up to date and comprehensive summary of this rapidly developing area

ISBN: 9781843391890 (Print)

ISBN: 9781780401669 (eBook)

Marine Wastewater Outfalls and Treatment Systems

This publication presents an overview of the health impacts of freshwater algae based on an extensive review of the available literature beginning with the first documented case of lethal intoxications published in the last century. Increased levels of eutrophication combined with recently developed practical methods for detection and surveillance have resulted in a greater awareness of algal toxins in the environment. Notwithstanding, investigations on algal toxins in recreational waters and drinking water supplies have been quite limited until recently, and are currently gaining impetus in a number of countries.

Henry J. Salas

Papers

Health risks caused by freshwater cyanobacteria in recreational waters.

Marine Wastewater Outfalls and Treatment Systems

HEALTH IMPACTS OF FRESHWATER ALGAE Draft for Guidelines for Recreational Water and Bathing Beach Quality