title: Social values of biodiversity conservation for the endangered loggerhead turtle and monk seal

authors: Kaval, Pamela

subjects: biodiversity conservation

abstract: The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) are two species on the priority list for conservation in Greece due to their dwindling populations worldwide. Hence the issue of estimating willingness to pay for their conservation is germane to any protection initiative. Zakynthos Island in Greece has created a marine park for the conservation of such species. We report the results of a survey of visitors and residents of this island who were asked about making one-time donations in the form of either a tax for residents or a plane landing fee for tourists. We find that all people were willing to pay to protect these species; however, residents were willing to pay more than tourists. We then tested whether there was a sequence or ordering effect if the seal questions came before the turtles as well as if the turtle questions came before the seals. Such effect was found when turtle questions were presented first, but not when seal questions were presented first. Due to the extensive interest, it is recommended that an increase in the airplane landing fee to Zakynthos could be used to contribute towards funds for loggerhead turtle and monk seal protection.

text: Social values of biodiversity conservation for the endangered loggerhead turtle and monk seal The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) and the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) are two species on the priority list for conservation in Greece due to their dwindling populations worldwide. Hence the issue of estimating willingness to pay for their conservation is germane to any protection initiative. Zakynthos Island in Greece has created a marine park for the conservation of such species. We report the results of a survey of visitors and residents of this island who were asked about making one-time donations in the form of either a tax for residents or a plane landing fee for tourists. We find that all people were willing to pay to protect these species; however, residents were willing to pay more than tourists. We then tested whether there was a sequence or ordering effect if the seal questions came before the turtles as well as if the turtle questions came before the seals. Such effect was found when turtle questions were presented first, but not when seal questions were presented first. Due to the extensive interest, it is recommended that an increase in the airplane landing fee to Zakynthos could be used to contribute towards funds for loggerhead turtle and monk seal protection.

year: 2007-08

title: Changes in natural ¹⁵n abundance in pastoral soils receiving differing amounts of superphosphate fertilizer and irrigation for 50 years

authors: Mudge, Paul Lawrence

abstract: Intensification of pastoral agriculture has led to increased N losses to the wider environment. This has led to an emphasis on improving our understanding of soil N dynamics, and development of management practices which mitigate N losses. The natural abundance of the stable isotope δ¹⁵N relative to ¹⁴N (δ¹⁵N) in soils can provide an integrated measure of past N cycle processes, and in particular soil δ15N can reflect past N losses, because during most N transformation processes 14N is preferentially lost. We therefore hypothesized that pastoral soils under intensive management regimes (with high N inputs, cycling, and loss) would become progressively enriched with ¹⁵N relative to soils under less intensive management. To test this hypothesis we analyzed archived surface soils from two long-term grazed field trials in New Zealand, where different rates of irrigation and superphosphate fertilizer had been applied for ∼50 yr. In all treatments except one (a control treatment receiving no fertilizer), δ¹⁵N increased with time and the increase was greater in treatments receiving more superphosphate or irrigation (average increases ranged from ∼0.015–0.034 ‰ yr–1). Pasture production and grazing intensity also increased with increasing fertilizer rate and irrigation frequency, and we found positive correlations between the average rate of change in soil δ¹⁵N, and total pasture production (r² = 0.77, p = 0.02), clover production (r² = 0.95, p < 0.001), and calculated N losses (r² = 0.98, p < 0.001) over ∼50 yr. We suggest that most of the difference in δ¹⁵N observed between treatments was due to the influence fertilizer and irrigation had on pasture production, and the resulting effects this had on isotope fractionating N loss processes. Soil δ¹⁵N could therefore be a useful indicator of past management intensity and N cycling and loss from pastoral systems.

text: Changes in natural ¹⁵n abundance in pastoral soils receiving differing amounts of superphosphate fertilizer and irrigation for 50 years Intensification of pastoral agriculture has led to increased N losses to the wider environment. This has led to an emphasis on improving our understanding of soil N dynamics, and development of management practices which mitigate N losses. The natural abundance of the stable isotope δ¹⁵N relative to ¹⁴N (δ¹⁵N) in soils can provide an integrated measure of past N cycle processes, and in particular soil δ15N can reflect past N losses, because during most N transformation processes 14N is preferentially lost. We therefore hypothesized that pastoral soils under intensive management regimes (with high N inputs, cycling, and loss) would become progressively enriched with ¹⁵N relative to soils under less intensive management. To test this hypothesis we analyzed archived surface soils from two long-term grazed field trials in New Zealand, where different rates of irrigation and superphosphate fertilizer had been applied for ∼50 yr. In all treatments except one (a control treatment receiving no fertilizer), δ¹⁵N increased with time and the increase was greater in treatments receiving more superphosphate or irrigation (average increases ranged from ∼0.015–0.034 ‰ yr–1). Pasture production and grazing intensity also increased with increasing fertilizer rate and irrigation frequency, and we found positive correlations between the average rate of change in soil δ¹⁵N, and total pasture production (r² = 0.77, p = 0.02), clover production (r² = 0.95, p < 0.001), and calculated N losses (r² = 0.98, p < 0.001) over ∼50 yr. We suggest that most of the difference in δ¹⁵N observed between treatments was due to the influence fertilizer and irrigation had on pasture production, and the resulting effects this had on isotope fractionating N loss processes. Soil δ¹⁵N could therefore be a useful indicator of past management intensity and N cycling and loss from pastoral systems.

year: 2013

title: Assessment of effects of proposed treated wastewater discharge to the Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay (Lake Rotorua)

authors: Dada, Ayokunle Christopher

abstract: After 2019, irrigation operations at the Land Treatment System (LTS) in the Whakarewarewa Forest are scheduled to cease. A number of options and locations have been considered for the discharge of the treated wastewater when the current discharge consent ceases. Following consultations and technical assessments, the preferred option of Rotorua Lakes Council is to upgrade the existing plant to a full Membrane Bioreactor Plant with the addition of an Ultraviolet Disinfection System (or alternative treatment to achieve an equivalent performance in terms of treated wastewater quality). Under this arrangement, wastewater would be subjected to biological, chemical and physical treatment processes, and the treated wastewater discharged through Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel to Sulphur Bay. Rotorua Lakes Council is thus undertaking an environmental impact assessment study to determine the effects of discharging treated wastewater to the thermal channel and Puarenga Bay (Lake Rotorua), with particular reference to aesthetic, water quality and ecological considerations. These considerations include potential effects related to faecal indicator bacteria, nutrient concentrations, metals, dissolved oxygen, and taonga species (native species of cultural significance).
The assessment focused on:
(i)	The projected treated wastewater characteristics;

(ii)	Existing conditions of the receiving water;

(iii)	The sensitivity of the receiving water and the impact of the proposed discharge on water quality and taonga species (native species of cultural significance) in Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay.

The main techniques used to inform the assessment in this study were:
1) Analysis of historical water quality data, 2011-2014;
2) Collection of additional water quality data at Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay and along a transect to quantify spatial variability (sampling in 2016 and 2017);
3) Mass balance dilution modelling to predict water quality in the Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay (Lake Rotorua), at a site outside of the assumed mixing zone;
4) Lake ecosystem modelling conducted by Abell et al. (2015) to assess effects related to eutrophication;
5) Background review of biological information and field investigations for taonga species at Sulphur Bay and Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel (2017).

text: Assessment of effects of proposed treated wastewater discharge to the Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay (Lake Rotorua) After 2019, irrigation operations at the Land Treatment System (LTS) in the Whakarewarewa Forest are scheduled to cease. A number of options and locations have been considered for the discharge of the treated wastewater when the current discharge consent ceases. Following consultations and technical assessments, the preferred option of Rotorua Lakes Council is to upgrade the existing plant to a full Membrane Bioreactor Plant with the addition of an Ultraviolet Disinfection System (or alternative treatment to achieve an equivalent performance in terms of treated wastewater quality). Under this arrangement, wastewater would be subjected to biological, chemical and physical treatment processes, and the treated wastewater discharged through Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel to Sulphur Bay. Rotorua Lakes Council is thus undertaking an environmental impact assessment study to determine the effects of discharging treated wastewater to the thermal channel and Puarenga Bay (Lake Rotorua), with particular reference to aesthetic, water quality and ecological considerations. These considerations include potential effects related to faecal indicator bacteria, nutrient concentrations, metals, dissolved oxygen, and taonga species (native species of cultural significance).
The assessment focused on:
(i)	The projected treated wastewater characteristics;

(ii)	Existing conditions of the receiving water;

(iii)	The sensitivity of the receiving water and the impact of the proposed discharge on water quality and taonga species (native species of cultural significance) in Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay.

The main techniques used to inform the assessment in this study were:
1) Analysis of historical water quality data, 2011-2014;
2) Collection of additional water quality data at Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay and along a transect to quantify spatial variability (sampling in 2016 and 2017);
3) Mass balance dilution modelling to predict water quality in the Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel and Sulphur Bay (Lake Rotorua), at a site outside of the assumed mixing zone;
4) Lake ecosystem modelling conducted by Abell et al. (2015) to assess effects related to eutrophication;
5) Background review of biological information and field investigations for taonga species at Sulphur Bay and Te Arikiroa Thermal Channel (2017).

year: 2018