Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Researchers evaluate and identify consistent indicators to support sustainability on U.S. ranches

Standardized ecological, social and economic indicators can help ranchers track and communicate about sustainability.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

POINT BLUE CONSERVATION SCIENCE

Livestock grazing on well-managed rangelands can help secure clean water, enhance habitat, address climate change, and sustain rural communities. Ensuring the sustainability of livestock agriculture is not only vital to feeding a growing world, but it’s essential to a healthy future, which is why a research team led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) set out to help ranchers more consistently measure, manage, and communicate about the sustainability of their operations. The 20-person team produced a study detailing 20 core indicators commonly used to support ranch-level sustainability.

The study, “A Synthesis of Ranch-Level Sustainability Indicators for Land Managers and to Communicate Across the U.S. Beef Supply Chain,” was recently published in Rangeland Ecology & Management.

Rangelands span some 770 million acres across the United States. As the stewards of such a vast area of land, cattle ranchers need to be equipped with the tools necessary to measure, manage, and communicate the sustainability of their ranches, especially given the increasing commitments by food companies and demand by consumers to advance sustainability across the beef supply chain.

“There’s increasing interest and effort among multiple beef supply chain players to measure and track sustainability at the ranch level, but there’s currently a lack of uniform measurements,” said Patrick Lendrum with World Wildlife Fund’s Northern Great Plains Program. “To effectively track sustainability in the U.S. beef industry, notably one of the most complex food systems in the world, we need common indicators that are actionable on the ground, measure progress toward sustainability goals of companies and consumers, and enable ranchers to consistently communicate improvements to their operations.”

Taking steps toward this goal, the researchers focused on summarizing commonly used ecological, social, and economic indicators that could inform adaptive management toward enhanced sustainability. They evaluated 21 range and pastureland assessments from organizations, agencies, and academics that totaled 180 indicators. From this, the team selected 20 commonly used “core” indicators (12 ecological and 8 socioeconomic), which are designed to detect change over time for management practices, are common among many approaches, and/or are critical for outcomes of common interest to producers, companies, and consumers. While these indicators are relevant for rangelands across the United States, they may be measured differently in different parts of the country, due to regional variabilities.

“We found consistent ecological indicators that rose to the top, but we also found less emphasis on the economic and social indicators in current frameworks, which are equally important when striving to achieve a sustainable operation,” said Marissa Ahlering, Ph.D., lead scientist with The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. “We do, however, recognize that social and economic indicators – such as community health and income – include much more sensitive and context-dependent information, thus presenting a greater challenge.” Only 5 of the 21 assessments reviewed included socioeconomic indicators

More consistently used and agreed upon indicators spanning ecological, social and economic interests will lead to a better understanding of sustainability at the ranch level, which in turn would better equip ranchers with the information necessary to communicate how they are making progress toward sustainability goals in their own operations.

“Ranching is a complex business. Thriving in that business, particularly for any rancher who relies on the ranch for a livelihood, requires close attention to every detail. And the most fundamental detail is that of rangeland health,” said Mickey Steward of Seacross Ranch in Lodge Grass, Montana. “Constant monitoring, both formal and informal, is necessary to ensure that ecological health across the spectrum of plant and wildlife communities, soil, and hydrology is constantly improving. Drought resilience and every aspect of sustainability depend on the keen eye of the rancher buttressed by data collection and analysis on many levels. And, as with any other endeavor, documentation is essential to understanding and applying the knowledge gained from unceasing observation and application of the results of that observation,” Steward said.

Grazing has the largest footprint of any agricultural activity, making it imperative that producers can track and manage these lands for clean water, climate and biodiversity benefits, social and economic outcomes. By developing a consistent standardized set of sustainability indicators to measure on-ranch progress, determine adaptive management strategies, and communicate results is an essential first step to ensuring that ranchers, companies and consumers are closer to achieving their sustainability goals.

Additional co-authors on the paper include Clare Kazanski, Pablo Borrelli, William Burnidge, Lexi Clark, Chad Ellis, Kirk Gadzia, Jonathan Gelbard, Sasha Gennet, Jeff Goodwin, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Emily Kachergis, Corrine Knapp, Nancy Labbe, Kristie Maczko, Elizabeth Porzig, David Rizzo, Sheri Spiegal, and Christopher Wilson.

# # #

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow us on Twitter at @nature_press.

About World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working for 60 years in nearly 100 countries to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million supporters worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment, and combat the climate crisis. Visit worldwildlife.org to learn more; follow @WWFNews on Twitter to keep up with the latest conservation news; and sign up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

JOURNAL

Rangeland Ecology & Management

DOI

10.1016/j.rama.2021.08.011

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Systematic review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

A Synthesis of Ranch-Level Sustainability Indicators for Land Managers and to Communicate Across the U.S. Beef Supply Chain

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

25-Oct-2021

Google takes up to 42% from ads, states say in antitrust case

by Bob Van Voris

Google takes up to 42% of the money paid for digital ads published online, according to a newly unsealed court filing by states that claim the search and advertising giant abuses its monopoly power in online advertising to limit competition and harm consumers.

The Alphabet Inc. unit runs the biggest electronic marketplace in the world, according to the states, processing 11 billion online ad spaces every day through its AdX exchange.

"More daily transactions are made on AdX than on the NYSE and NASDAQ combined," a group of 16 states and Puerto Rico said in their complaint, saying they were quoting "Google's own words."

The document was filed in August, with redactions to shield information that could be commercially sensitive. It was refiled in a mostly unredacted form Friday, after a judge in Manhattan ruled last week that most of the material should be publicly available.

"Google now uses its immense market power to extract a very high tax of 22 to 42% of the ad dollars otherwise flowing to the countless online publishers and content producers such as online newspapers, cooking websites, and blogs who survive by selling advertisements on their websites and apps," the states said in the unredacted filing.

The lawsuit, filed by a group of states led by Texas, is one of four government antitrust complaints against Google. The Justice Department and a different group of states have sued Google in separate cases over its dominance in Internet search, while another state case was filed this year over Google's Android mobile operating system.

The case is: In re Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation, 21-md-03010, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

California to bring antitrust lawsuit against Google

Research reveals powerful lure of gambling adverts on social media to children

by University of Bristol

betting — Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A new report has exposed how children and young people are vulnerable to the growing popularity of gambling adverts on social media, prompting calls from leading experts for much tighter regulations.

The research, published today as part of a policy briefing led by the University of Bristol, found gambling advertising is vastly more appealing to children than adults.

Most notably, the study findings showed disguised gambling marketing and ads for betting on esports—professional online competing in computer games—were nearly four times more appealing to children than adults. It also revealed nearly half of children are exposed to such advertising weekly and around a quarter encounter it daily.

Whereas results showed the vast majority of adults were wary or annoyed when faced with gambling ads, children mainly reacted positively.

Co-lead investigator Dr. Raffaello Rossi, who is conducting first-of-its-kind research into the use and impact of gambling advertising on social media, said: "The overwhelming strong appeal of gambling advertising on social media to children is of huge concern, as it is known the earlier people start gambling the more likely it will become habitual and problematic.

"That's why there needs to be much stricter and clearer rules in place to clamp down on the issue, which could easily spiral out of control given how long children and young people spend on social media these days. Many of the adverts may look entirely innocent and harmless, but they in fact pose a serious risk of getting a whole new generation of gamblers hooked on a serious addiction which has devastating consequences."

The report, in light of its findings and previous studies, is calling for:

Esports gambling advertising, which automatically appeals to children and young people, to be banned.
Gambling content marketing, which masquerades as something appealing, to be rigorously regulated and informed by what is proven to attract young people.
Regulators to broaden the age range of a 'young person' from 16–17 to 16- to 24-year-olds.
Social media platforms to only allow gambling ads on social media when users actively opt-in to receive them.

The report comes as the Gambling Act is currently being reviewed by the government, and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has launched a consultation to better protect children from gambling advertising which appeals to them.

Although Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) codes currently forbid gambling advertising from being of 'particular appeal to children and young persons," there are no previous investigations into what exactly appeals to them. While adverts using cartoons may be banned on such grounds, the research findings showed posts featuring cartoons were least appealing to children and the most appealing ads, which were more subtle, would not breach regulations.

This study surveyed online 210 children aged 11 to 17 years, 222 young people aged 18 to 24, and 221 adults aged 25 to 78 years in the UK from May to July last year.

It showed nearly half (45.2 percent) of children and almost three-quarters of young people (72.4 percent) saw gambling advertising on Twitter at least once a week. A quarter of children (25.2 percent) and more than a third (37.3 percent) of young people reported seeing it daily.

Findings also revealed the vast majority of gambling ads on Twitter (19 out of 24) were twice as likely to appeal to children and young people than older adults, with young people reacting most favorably. While nearly two-thirds (15 out of 24) gambling adverts prompted positive emotions for young people, such as excited, happy, or delighted, less than a third (seven out of 24) resulted in a positive emotional response among adults. By contrast, adults were found to be four-times more likely to react negatively, feeling distress, anger, or tension when exposed to gambling ads.

These trends were most pronounced with gambling content marketing, which was found to be nearly four-times more appealing to children and young people than adults with almost all the ads (11 out of 12) triggering positive emotions in children and young people, compared to less than half of them (seven out of 12) doing so for adults.

Esports gambling adverts were also found to be much more appealing to children and young people than adults, who were shown to be four-times more likely to feel extremely negative emotions about the ads than children.

Co-lead investigator Agnes Nairn, Professor of Marketing at the University of Bristol's School of Management, said: "We know from previous research that children are actively following and engaging with gambling content on social media and regulators are struggling to keep up with this trend. This new research shines a spotlight on two specific types of gambling adverts: content marketing and esports that are strongly and significantly more appealing to children and young people than to older adults.

"Importantly, the current regulations do not address these types of advertising at all. The esports market is forecast to exceed a billion dollars this year. It has an audience of 500 million people, most of them children and young people. The regulations need to be reformed as a matter of urgency."

The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), a leading UK gambling-harm prevention charity, provides a range of education programs, working with thousands of schools and youth practitioners to help engage with and safeguard future generations against gambling harms.

Kev Clelland, Strategic Alliance Director at YGAM, said: "A key part of our programs focus on gambling advertising, as well as the growth of esports, and this latest research will further inform our evidence-led resources. The findings support the evidence we submitted to the Gambling Act Review where we called for more to be done to minimize the exposure that children have to gambling advertising. All gambling advertising should be designed and displayed in a way that is appropriate for adults and avoids marketing techniques that appeal to children. There is opportunity to strengthen advertising protections and both the advertisers and the platforms which host adverts should use technology and data to do more."

Personalised gambling adverts: A troubling new trend

More information: What are the odds? The appeal of gambling adverts to children and young persons on Twitter. www.bristol.ac.uk/policybristo … s/what-are-the-odds/

Provided by University of Bristol

Study finds that social justice and health issues impact electric vehicle uptake

by University of Cambridge

electric car — Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new study led by the University of Cambridge and based on public attitudes expressed in 36,000 Facebook posts, has found that consumer uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) can be boosted by promoting the social justice and health aspects of the technology.

The researchers found that effective communication of social and health benefits of EV ownership can be a motivating factor for influencing higher EV uptake.

The study, published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, analyzed Facebook postings in the United States related to EVs, using machine learning based on a PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental) framework that examines the intersection of various words and phrases.

"Social media offers a treasure trove of information to better understand how the public views the energy transition from carbon-emitting internal combustion engine to EVs," said study co-author David Reiner from Cambridge Judge Business School.

Reiner and his collaborators used machine learning and social network analysis to identify via Facebook posts what aspects people valued in electric vehicles, and found that social justice, clean air, better health and a shift toward EVs becoming a service industry emerged as key themes.

The social justice theme was quite pervasive in the researchers' findings. One important discourse that shaped EVs' social justice and welfare dimensions was centered around the idea that 'We all can benefit from more electric vehicles', as this links to environmental benefits like cleaner air, less pollution, climate change mitigation, and better health for all. There was also broad agreement on the need for state support to make EVs more affordable.

"While governments around the world have launched aggressive targets for EVs, increasingly through regulatory measures rather than direct subsidies, there has been little academic research into the drivers of EV adoption," said Reiner. "This new study helps fill that knowledge gap, and can be a useful tool for energy policymaking in this vital area."

Breaking down the PESTLE framework, the study found that Facebook posts relating to Political aspects were most related to EV tax and subsidies; posts on the Economy focused on consumer fees and EV market expansion; the Social dimension centered on job creation, investment and clean air; Technology posts centered around charging and batteries; while Legal and Environmental posts looked mostly at climate change and EV-related sustainability discussion.

The 36,000 Facebook public posts on EVs that were analyzed, all posted in 2020, generated a text corpus of 600,000 words or terms that formed the data for the study's topic modeling.

As car manufacturers consider the potential for EVs as a subscription-based service, the study also underlines the importance of understanding how EVs are now being adopted at a community level as this will influence the future design of subscription-based and shared ownership schemes.

EV sales exceeded 2.1 million globally in 2019, with 90% of sales in China, Europe and the U.S., the study observes, with sales of all-electric light-duty vehicles in the U.S. growing from zero in 2010 to 242,000 in 2019.

Social media analysis shows support for public health measures

More information: Ramit Debnath et al, Political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental dimensions of electric vehicle adoption in the United States: A social-media interaction analysis, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111707

Provided by University of Cambridge

From waste to resource: Turning exhaust heat into energy with unprecedented efficiency

by DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)

Thanks to the ongoing digital revolution, we are on the verge of transitioning to a hyper-connected world. However, the Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and remote sensors that promise such a reality require energy. With sustainability as a top priority, the energy source must be abundant, ubiquitous, and renewable. Fortunately, low-grade waste heat (temperatures below 100 °C) could fit the bill provided we develop efficient energy harvesting technologies.

The conversion of a temperature difference into electricity is already possible through thermoelectrochemical cells (TECs). These devices can leverage waste heat to sustain a reduction–oxidation (redox) reaction that, in turn, produces electricity. However, current state-of-the-art TECs are lacking commercial implementations due to their low energy conversion efficiency, lackluster output power, and costly fabrication. A breakthrough in energy conversion is, therefore, needed for TECs to become viable for untethered low-power devices.

Against this backdrop, a team of scientists at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Korea, devised an effective strategy to take it up a notch. Led by Professor Hochun Lee, these researchers combined the operating principle of TECs with that of concentration galvanic cells, creating a hybrid thermoelectrochemical-concentration cell (TCC). Although TCCs are not a new concept, the design put forward by the team overcomes some critical limitations of existing TECs.

The TCC reported in this study, which was published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, is based on redox reactions involving iodine ions (I−) and triiodide (I3−). Unlike in conventional TECs, however, these reactions occur in a non-aqueous carbonate solution that uses dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a solvent. This particular selection of materials creates a peculiar effect.

The researchers found that as the temperature of the hot side increased beyond 40 °C, the DMC reacted with I− to produce a porous, gel-like layer of Li2CO3 near the hot electrode that helped maintain a large difference in the concentrations of I− and I3− throughout the cell, greatly boosting its performance. "Our hybrid cell demonstrates a remarkable thermal conversion efficiency (5.2%) and outperforms the current best n-type TECs," says Prof. Lee. "In addition, the simple structure and fabrication process of our TCCs offer a practically feasible platform for thermal energy harvesting."

Further studies will be needed to refine this unprecedented approach to TCC design and, hopefully, achieve the goal of connecting multiple TCCs in series to reach commercially acceptable capabilities. "IoT-connected societies will require economic and autonomous power sources for their IoT devices and sensors, and we believe TECs will be the ideal candidate to meet their need," concludes an optimistic Prof. Lee.

Hopefully, science will lead us to sustainable and more efficient ways to make good use of waste heatSpace energy technology restored to make power stations more efficient

More information: Kyunggu Kim et al, Hybrid thermoelectrochemical and concentration cells for harvesting low-grade waste heat, Chemical Engineering Journal (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2021.131797

Provided by DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology)

Fossil rivers of the Sahara tell of the threat of warming

by University of Geneva

Why did the people living near the Nile river migrate to central Egypt 10,000 years ago, when the Egyptian Sahara was still green? Geologists led by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have studied the fossil rivers north of Lake Nasser in Egypt in order to reconstruct the palaeo-hydrology of the region and to determine the rainfall rate of this African humid period. They found that following a rapid temperature increase of about 7°C, the frequency of heavy rainfall events increased fourfold, increasing river flooding and forcing riverine populations to migrate to the center of the country. These results, to be read in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews, highlight the increase in extreme weather episodes in the event of global warming.

Africa experienced a wet period between 14,800 and 5,500 BC, characterized by a still green Sahara. However, this region north of Lake Nasser in Egypt is now arid, leaving only fossilized rivers as traces of this green past. "These rivers are essential for reconstructing past climates, as they allow us to determine the quantities of flowing water at the time, as well as the quantities and frequencies of rainfall," explains Abdallah Zaki, a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at the UNIGE Faculty of Science and first author of the study.

Reconstructing river discharge to obtain precipitation rates

To reconstruct the palaeo-hydrology of a region, it is first necessary to measure the pebbles in the fossil rivers. "Large pebbles indicate a high water discharge, capable of transporting them, as do the depth and width of the river, which make it possible to assess the water discharge, for instance in units of cubic meters per second," says Sébastien Castelltort, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences and final author of the study. The second step is to find out the surface area of the drainage basin, i.e. the area that connects the water upstream to the river. "By combining these two figures, we obtain the precipitation rate responsible for transporting the studied sediments," continues the Geneva researcher.

To find the age of the rivers, the scientists use two different techniques. The first, carried out in collaboration with ETH Zurich, uses carbon-14 dating of the organic matter that fills the fossilized rivers. The second, called Optically Stimulated Luminescence and carried out with specialists from the University of Lausanne, consists of measuring the luminescence of quartz to obtain the age of the sediment deposit.

A sharp increase in intense rainfall

The scientists carried out this work on six rivers in the region and confirmed that the rivers were mainly active between 13,000 and 5,000 BC, i.e. at the height of the African wet period. "But what is particularly interesting is that our study shows that the rainfall was very intense, with rates of 55–80 mm per hour, and that such rainfall events were three to four times more frequent than before the African humid period, which is an enormous climate perturbation," says Abdallah Zaki.

Indeed, the annual rainfall rate alone does not reflect the intensity of the rains, and therefore the consequences. "If we take London as an example, we have the impression that it rains all the time," illustrates Sébastien Castelltort. "However, London sees an average of 680 mm of rain per year, compared to about 1400 mm in Geneva, which is more than twice as much!" It's simply that in London, rainfall is spread out over the whole year, whereas it is more concentrated in Geneva.

An explanation for the strong migration of the Nile populations

The results obtained by the geologists, i.e. this sudden increase in the frequency of intense rainfall events, provide an explanation for the strong migration of the region's riparian (living near the river) populations towards the center of the territory at that time, as observed by the archaeologists. "Indeed, the violent flooding of the rivers increased, making the banks inhospitable," confirms Abdallah Zaki.

This fourfold increase in violent rainfall also coincides with a 7°C increase in temperature in the region. "This study thus provides us with a historical lesson told by the rocks on how the Earth system behaves in the event of rapid global warming," says Sébastien Castelltort. Understanding the distribution of precipitation over the year will become a key issue in risk prevention today, because in a period of global warming, these risks will also increase in the near future. "What happened in Germany this summer will certainly become more common," he concludes.New study findings could help improve flood projections

More information: Abdallah S. Zaki et al, Did increased flooding during the African Humid Period force migration of modern humans from the Nile Valley?, Quaternary Science Reviews (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107200

Journal information: Quaternary Science Reviews

Provided by University of Geneva

Advancing agriculture threatens the livelihoods of forest-dependent people

by McGill University

Forest-dependent people living across the Gran Chaco have been put on the map for the first time. As agribusiness expands into the dry forest on which they rely, the impact of that expansion on them has been difficult to document because their homesteads are dotted over 1 million km2. But now an international team of researchers, including a researcher from McGill University, has used high resolution satellite imagery to systematically identify these homesteads across this vast area for the first time. By looking at images taken over a period of 30 years, the researchers found that where agribusiness advanced, the livelihoods of forest-dependent people were threatened, resulting in their displacement and the disappearance of thousands of homesteads. The researchers believe that mapping forest-dependent people is a much-needed step to better consider them in future sustainability planning.

There are few places on the globe where tropical forests are disappearing as rapidly as in the South American Gran Chaco. This semiarid lowland covers over a million km2 and stretches across parts of Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil. While it's known that agricultural expansion into tropical forests leads to major environmental destruction, the social impacts of deforestation often remain hidden. A main reason for this is a lack of data on where people live inside tropical forests.

A new study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and involving an international team of researchers from Germany, Argentina, and the Netherlands, as well as from McGill University, puts these forest-dependent people on the map for the first time. By systematically using high-resolution satellite images, the team digitized individual homesteads of forest-dependent people across the Chaco and found that close to 20 percent of these homesteads had disappeared over the period between 1985-2015.

The effects of expanding agribusiness

"We found that in 1985 there were about 28,000 homesteads spread across almost half of the Chaco forests," says Dr. Christian Levers, Assistant Professor at VU Amsterdam and lead-author of the study. "By looking at images from the past 30 years we found that more than 5,000 homesteads have disappeared since then. And an even larger number of homesteads have lost the forests on which they depend due to encroaching agribusiness."

Forest-dependent people use the forests surrounding their homesteads for firewood and timber, livestock grazing, subsistence hunting, or collecting honey. But homestead numbers have been dropping as advancing agribusiness reduces the size of the forests on which they depend, and large-scale farmers erect fences that limit people's access to the forests that remain standing.

"Mapping where forest-dependent people live and how deforestation affects them is a first and much-needed step towards more adequately representing them in land-use planning and policy discussions," says Yann le Polain de Waroux, one of the study's co-authors and an Assistant Professor of Geography at McGill University.

Global consumption patterns

Deforestation in the Gran Chaco is related mainly to beef and soybean production for international markets, including those in Europe and North America. The study found that the homesteads that disappeared were mainly located where agribusiness has expanded most dramatically.

"This research clearly shows how our consumption impacts forest-dependent people around the world, people who are vulnerable and poor," says Dr. Alfredo Romero-Muñoz, a researcher at Humboldt University Berlin and co-author of the study. "Agriculture is expanding into many tropical dry forests around the world, and we urgently need to consider not only the impacts on biodiversity and the global climate, but also the huge impacts it has on forest-dependent people."

A key finding of the study is that deforestation leads to the increasing ecological marginalization of forest-dependent people. "What we mean here is that local people experience a massive erosion of the basis of their livelihoods as the forest is converted," explains Prof. Tobias Kuemmerle from Humboldt-University Berlin and a senior author on the study. "We also found that those homesteads that persist or have emerged are often in places that are not very suitable for agriculture, which is another form of marginalization."

The researchers believe that mapping forest-dependent people is a much-needed first step towards better considering them in future sustainability planning.

Mapping the 1.6 billion people who live near forests

More information: Christian Levers et al, Agricultural expansion and the ecological marginalization of forest-dependent people, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100436118

Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Provided by McGill University

Fish consumption still safe despite initial fears over mercury levels

by University of Waterloo

The benefits of consuming traditional foods tend to outweigh the risks of possible mercury contamination, according to a recent study.

The research, which was part of a larger biomonitoring project to address community concerns about environmental contaminants in traditional foods, such as fish, also found that mercury exposure in people may be low even when it is sometimes present in elevated levels. Additionally, the researchers discovered that mercury levels in people in northern regions vary by season and region.

"Previously, elevated levels of mercury were found in some fish species in some lakes and therefore, communities wanted to know if these sometimes-elevated levels in fish also meant they were elevated in people," said Sara Packull-McCormick, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo's School of Public Health Sciences.

"The good news is that generally, the exposure in communities we studied was low. It means the benefits of consuming these foods tend to outweigh the risks, which is important for these communities since fish consumption has nutritional, cultural and economic benefits."

In conducting the study, the researchers obtained 443 blood samples and 276 hair samples to determine mercury levels present in the body. Generally, the measured human mercury exposures were relatively low. They also used a Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess fish intake, with 170 people participating. The responses showed that total fish intake peaked in late summer, decreased during the winter and increased again in the spring. Hair mercury levels seemed to follow the same seasonal pattern as fish intake but peaked in the fall.

The advantage of blood monitoring is that it provides an accurate snapshot of recent mercury levels. However, blood samples are more invasive, require specialized personnel to draw them, as well as consistent refrigeration. The researchers wanted to see if hair samples, which are easier to collect and show mercury levels over a larger span of time, could be used at the individual level. They found that the ratios between blood and hair mercury levels were inconsistent, meaning blood levels cannot be accurately estimated for an individual based on a hair sample.

Elevated levels of mercury can have negative effects on human development and health, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and neurodevelopmental impairment. The Canadian Health Measures Survey measured mercury in human biological samples but did not include participants from the Canadian territories or Indigenous peoples living on reserves.

"This study is important because it provides these communities with the information they need to help guide their decision-making," said Brian Laird, a professor in the School of Public Health Sciences and principal investigator. "Mercury can pose serious risks to people's health, but these communities now have a baseline to see what changes occur in the future, especially taking into account those that may be caused by climate change."

The study was published in Environmental Research.

Do elevated mercury levels in the blood increase skin cancer risk?

More information: Sara Packull-McCormick et al, Hair to blood mercury concentration ratios and a retrospective hair segmental mercury analysis in the Northwest Territories, Canada, Environmental Research (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111800

Journal information: Environmental Research

Provided by University of Waterloo

THAT'S WHY YOU PRAY BEFORE EACH MEAL TO BEG FORGIVENESS

How do we keep on eating meat if we wish animals no harm?

by The Polish Association of Social Psychology

While Greta Thunberg, the climate activist, laments that animal products are 'stealing' her future, humanity keeps consuming meat. In fact, approximately between 90-97% of us eat meat, with worldwide meat consumption currently on the rise. Yet, the majority of people are concerned, at least to an extent, with animal welfare. In fact, research has shown that many are inclined to empathize more with dogs than with fellow adults.

A new literature review by UK researchers from the Societies Research Hub at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Nottingham Trent University, led by Sarah Gradidge, explores this "meat paradox"—namely the coexistence of eating meat and caring for animals.

The researchers recognize two main psychological processes within the meat paradox: triggers and restorative strategies. Triggers make meat consumers feel uncomfortable about their own meat consumption. For example, this could be when a meat eater is reminded about meat originating from the flesh of slaughtered animals. However, those thoughts can be countered by certain strategies, so that the person can escape the paradox and resolve their feelings of discomfort.

The researchers list the most common strategies of dealing with the meat paradox, such as when a person regards "food" animals to be of low status and hence incapable of thinking, feeling or understanding. Alternatively, some people justify meat consumption as "natural", "necessary", "nice" and "normal" (the "4Ns"). Another common approach is to dissociate meat from animals by using alternative descriptions, such as "livestock", "pork" and "poultry". Some behaviors, such as presenting vegetarianism as illogical, are also often used to justify meat consumption.

Interestingly, the researchers also report that people with different demographics and attitudes utilize different strategies to overcome the meat paradox. For example, one study identified cross-cultural differences, whereby Americans dissociated meat from animals more than people from Ecuador, perhaps because in the latter country it is more common for meat to be served with the animal's head still attached. Similarly, another study found that French people were more likely to deny that animals have their own mind compared to Chinese people.

People may also justify their meat consumption because it is part of their religious traditions. For example, some people linked it to God's abundant provision of food, while in a separate study others pointed out the existence of ethical slaughter within Islam.

Disengagement from animals appears to be significantly more prevalent in men than in women, concludes the review. However, the researchers note that this is likely due to traditional gender attitudes. For example, military men and women think of meat consumption as inherently masculine and associate it with the "man as hunter" gender stereotype. On the other hand, those who do not believe as much in traditional masculinity (including males) demonstrate greater engagement with animals.

In the review, the authors state that "this research evidences how masculinity stereotypes necessitate males, and/or those wishing to be 'masculine', to disengage from consumed animals, perhaps explaining why females identify as vegetarian and vegan more than males." For example, 63% of vegans are female, compared to only 37% being male.

In terms of political ideologies, greater conservatism appears to be linked to viewing vegetarianism and veganism in negative ways and justifying meat consumption as "natural", "necessary", "nice" and "normal", with individuals holding right-wing political beliefs being more willing to consume meat. On the other hand, left-wing participants see vegetarianism and veganism more positively, including in ethical and environmental context.

The main conclusion from the review is that "some people are more likely to engage with animals than others, including: females; those who value masculinity less; have less traditional gender attitudes and males who value 'new masculinity'. Thus, people from these groups may be more responsive to meat reduction interventions."

Sarah Gradidge, the lead author, says that "it is exciting to present the first comprehensive structured literature review of the 'meat paradox', and we hope it will inform both the 'meat paradox' literature and behavior within the real world, such as meat reduction. The work will be of interest not only to 'meat paradox' researchers, but also to people and organizations aiming to reduce meat consumption and even to meat consumers themselves who wish to better understand their psychological relationship to meat. This review is especially timely given urgent requirements to reduce meat consumption in order to save the environment, and we therefore hope the review informs these efforts."

The research was published in Social Psychological Bulletin.

Video: How can we eat without cooking the planet?

More information: Sarah Gradidge et al, A structured literature review of the meat paradox, Social Psychological Bulletin (2021). DOI: 10.32872/spb.5953

Provided by The Polish Association of Social Psychology

HEY GOV DESANTIS FEED THE MANATEE

Florida manatees dying in record numbers amid food scarcity

by Curt Anderson

Florida fishing guide and environmental activist Paul Fafeita says a highlight for his charter customers is spotting the manatees that forage for seagrass in shallow waters. It's not so thrilling when they come across the emaciated carcass of a manatee that starved to death.

"It's not good when you've got clients on the boat and all of a sudden there's a dead manatee," Fafeita, president of the Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County, said during a recent excursion in the Indian River Lagoon, a favorite hangout for the marine mammals along Florida's east coast. "They're wanting to see them. They don't want to see them dead."

Florida is experiencing an unprecedented die-off of manatees this year, with 959 documented deaths as of Oct. 1. That's already more than any full year on record, and colder weather soon to come could bring another wave of deaths in a population that numbers between 7,500 and 10,200 along both Florida coasts, according to state estimates.

Manatee deaths this year will likely double the 593 recorded in 2020, and will far outnumber the latest five-year average of 146 deaths in Florida, according to state figures, with no end to the die-off in sight.

"There is a huge sense of urgency," said Gil McRae, director of the state Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. "We're uncertain how long it's (high manatee deaths) going to be."

The reason? Seagrass on which the so-called sea cows depend also is dying as water quality declines due to fertilizer runoff, wastewater discharges and polluted water that is increasingly diverted on purpose from Lake Okeechobee to coastal estuaries.

These manmade pollutants can cause algae blooms so thick that seagrass can't get the sunlight it needs to survive, jeopardizing the manatees' main food supply. Since 2009 about 58% of the seagrass has been lost in the Indian River Lagoon, state estimates show.

"The cold hard fact is: Florida is at a water quality and climate crossroads, and manatees are our canary in the coal mine," said J.P. Brooker, Florida director for the Ocean Conservancy environmental group, in an opinion piece published by The Invading Sea, a collaboration of 26 Florida news outlets focused on climate change impact.

"They are dying off in record numbers because we humans have made Florida waters inhospitable to them," Brooker said. "It's not just our manatees at risk, it's a coast-wide ecological problem."

State and federal environmental officials are beginning a manatee habitat restoration program, armed with $8 million in state money approved this year by Florida legislators. They say with cooler winter months on the way, the tendency of manatees to congregate in warmer waters could mean many more of the creatures will starve before the restoration work is completed.

"Seagrass restoration doesn't happen overnight. We can't really start planting seagrass until we have water quality improvements," said Michael Sole, vice chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "The winter is coming."

The commission is asking state lawmakers to approve another $7 million in the upcoming legislative session for seagrass restoration, manatee rehabilitation centers and other projects. At a committee hearing last week, McRae said researchers also are studying whether humans can feed manatees without harming them.

"Those of you that have paid attention to feeding wildlife know that almost universally, it does more harm than good," McRae told lawmakers. But if the manatees' numbers keep plummeting, "there's a possibility some level of supplemental feeding might be in order," he said.

Manatees have struggled to withstand humans for decades. Boat strikes kill dozens of the slow-moving animals despite no-wake zones in areas the animals frequent, and many more bear lifelong scars from such encounters. There are also threats from red tide outbreaks—and unusually cold weather.

In this Thursday, April 2, 2020, file photo, a manatee comes up for air is it swims in the

Stranahan River, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Florida is experiencing an unprecedented die-off

of manatees this year, with 959 documented deaths as of mid-October.

Credit: AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File

They are gentle round-tailed giants, weighing as much as 1,200 pounds (550 kilograms) and living as long as 65 years or so. Manatees are Florida's official state marine mammal and are closely related to elephants.

Perhaps the best-known and oldest manatee in captivity, a male named Snooty, died at age 69, drowning after a hatch malfunctioned in his aquarium at a Bradenton museum in 2017.

Manatees were listed as endangered beginning in 1966 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a designation downgraded to the less-stringent threatened category in 2016. A new push is on to list manatees as endangered once again to increase their long-term recovery chances.

"Florida manatees desperately need us to help them by cleaning up and protecting their habitat," said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director and senior attorney at The Center for Biological Diversity, a St. Petersburg-based nonprofit intent on saving imperiled species. The center and other groups plan to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to boost habitat protections for the manatee.

So far, the threatened designation has remained in place. A 2017 federal-state analysis pegged the chance of manatee extinction in Florida at less than a half-percent within the next 100 years.

Yet to environmental groups, the struggle of the manatee is a signal that humans are wrecking the coastal estuaries they and many other creatures need to survive.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has set in motion a program aimed at sharply reducing the load of harmful releases into the Indian River Lagoon by 2035.

The focus is on cutting introduction of nitrogen and phosphorous that is responsible for the seagrass-killing algae blooms. Projects to date have reduced releases of these nutrients by 37% of the ultimate goal, according to the state environmental agency.

Meanwhile, efforts to rescue and rehabilitate starving manatees continue at locations such as the SeaWorld theme park in Orlando to the Tampa zoo.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium in September announced plans for a $10 million manatee rescue and rehabilitation facility, the fifth of its kind in Florida.

A coalition of 16 environmental and business groups called this summer for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare the manatee die-off an emergency, which could focus resources and attention on the problem. DeSantis hasn't done it, contending at a news conference it would "spook a lot of people" and possibly trigger economic harm.

"We have a lot of money at our disposal," the governor said.

Back out on the water, fishing guide and activist Fafeita said it's not just the manatees—seagrass reduction also affects other species such as blue crabs and speckled sea trout.

"You know, the list just goes on and on and on," Fafeita said. "Right now, our big concern is the manatee. We're not going to catch that many fish this year. It's affecting us some. The true impact to be next year."2021 broke the Florida record for manatee deaths in a year in just 6 months

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