H.A. Udo de Haes

Quantitative life cycle assessment of products: 1:Goal definition and inventory

Abstract Quantitative environmental life cycle assessment of products can be a useful tool in product-oriented environmental management. With this methodology the environmental impacts of the product during its entire life cycle are attributed quantitatively to the functioning of the product as far as possible. Currently, the scientific basis of methods for assessing the environmental impacts of products is not yet adequate. Methods are divergent, yield conflicting results and contain considerable gaps. In two successive articles an overview of the similarities and differences between these methods, as developed in different countries, is given. To enable fruitful discussions on methods used, and to make life cycle assessment (LCA) an acceptable tool for product-oriented environmental management, a general methodological framework is proposed. In this first article a general introduction to LCA is given, a general methodological framework is proposed and two components of the methodological framework, the goal definition and the inventory, are discussed in more detail.

Nature conservation and integrated coastal zone management in Europe: present and future.

Abstract The present and future of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in Europe is discussed with an emphasis on nature conservation. The position of nature conservation in physical planning and in legislation is discussed within the historical perspective of the Netherlands. With regard to the present position of nature conservation in planning and legislation, differences in Europe between the northwest, the south and the east are discussed. The roles of various organisations (such as NGOs, GOs, Universities and the European Union) in ICZM is briefly mentioned. The paper advocates a strong position for nature conservation in integrated coastal zone management if it is to be developed on a sustainable basis.

The testing of three indicator systems for trophic state in grasslands

Three vegetation-based indicator systems for the assessment of the trophic state of soil were tested on grasslands. External parameters were gross production and nitrogen supply. A high correlation was found between indication figures of the relevés and external parameters. There was some evidence that, under certain conditions, indicator systems could provide ordinal as well as cardinal information. The reliability of the indicator systems was not entirely dependent on the completeness of the vegetational information. The lack of abundance data and the ignoring of rarely occurring species did not seriously affect the strength of correlation. It was concluded that indicator systems can be useful tools in ecological research as well as in nature conservation policy.

Evidence for a progressively earlier pupping season of the common seal (Phoca vitulina) in the Wadden Sea

Common seals Phoca vitulina give birth in the Wadden Sea area during the summer months. We provide evidence that the pupping season has advanced in date in this region. Analysis of stranding dates of recently-born, orphaned pups admitted for rehabilitation, revealed a shift of, on average, 0.88 days per year over the period 1974-2008, yielding a total advance of 26 days. Although the pupping season has become progressively earlier, there were no indications of any negative impact on the weight of the pups, nor was there an increase in the proportion of seals with a lanugo coat. These observations suggest that the most likely explanation for the change in phenology of the pupping season is a corresponding change in the timing of cessation of the period of delayed implantation. It is suggested that shifts in phenology could reflect an adaptive response of the animals to altered local circumstances. The latter may in turn be induced by larger scale phenomena such as food availability or climate change.

Patterns of Stranding and Mortality in Common Seals (Phoca vitulina) and Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) in The Netherlands between 1979 and 2008

Pathological examination of stranded marine mammals provides information on the causes of mortality in their populations. Patterns of stranding and causes of death of dead-stranded seals on the Dutch coast were analyzed over a 30-year period (1979-2008). Stranding data (n=1,286) and post-mortem data (n=379) from common seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) found dead, or that died before admission to rehabilitation, were obtained from the Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre database. Data for the years 1988 and 2002, when mass mortality occurred due to phocine distemper virus epidemics, were excluded. Common seal stranding increased from one to nearly 100 per year over this period. This coincides with the increase in the number of common seals in Dutch waters over recent decades. Grey seal stranding increased gradually from one to about 40 per year over the period, reflecting recolonization of Dutch waters by this species. For both species, the trend in stranding of dead seals was found to be in line with that of seals observed in Dutch waters during aerial surveys and did not provide any indications of a relative change in the stranding rate of dead seals. The total monthly stranding rates peaked at more than 120 in June and July for common seals and at nearly 60 in January for grey seals. This coincides with the pupping periods of the two species. Besides phocine distemper, the most common causes of death in investigated common seals (n=286) were by-catch (confirmed and inferred) (19%), pup starvation (7%), intestinal volvulus (7%) and parasitic bronchopneumonia (6%). The most common causes of death in investigated grey seals (n=93) were by-catch (confirmed and inferred) (15%), pup starvation (11%) and trauma (5%). The relative occurrence of by-catch significantly decreased over time for grey seals, but not for common seals. Common seals were affected by infectious disease significantly more often than grey seals, mainly because of a higher occurrence of parasitic pneumonia. Phocine distemper caused mass mortalities among common seals, but not among grey seals. These findings in dead-stranded seals differ in part from those reported elsewhere in live-stranded seals, for which pup starvation and parasitic bronchopneumonia were the main causes of stranding. A substantial proportion of seals in Dutch waters die from causes related to human activity. Continued monitoring of stranding patterns and causes of death is warranted for early detection of changes and the possibility of taking timely management actions.

The Potential of Sustainable Forestry Certification for Smallholder Tree Growing

This chapter’s aim is to investigate the potential of sustainable forestry certification for smallholder tree growing. Certification can be important for different stakeholders in the value chain of timber and timber products. By certification, consumers can choose on the basis of more sustainable behavior. For the manufacturing industry, certification can help to improve its image, and in the long run assure its resource input. For the producers of the timber resources, certification can help in achieving market access and can be the basis for long-term sales agreements. There are a number of certification systems for sustainable forestry, some of them operating on a global level, like particularly the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). However, certification in developing countries lags behind: in 2006 these countries only comprised two percent of the certified forests. A recent FSC program was aimed at timber production by Smallholders and Low Intensity Forests (FSC-SLIMF). This may alleviate the barriers faced by producers in developing countries, for both individual and community forestry. Before starting a process of certification, the costs and benefits along the chain need to be carefully examined, including market perspectives. In general, certification is only useful to an international market, which with others sets requirements on the choice of tree species and timber quality. As a case study, special attention is paid to the potentials of certification of forestry plantations in the Philippines.

Eco-labelling of agricultural food products

Abstract: This chapter discusses eco-labelling of food products from different types of agriculture, together with the underlying certification systems. Three types of agricultural production are on various points compared with conventional agricultural practice: organic farming, integrated agriculture and regional products. For comparison reasons, three related eco-labelling schemes are added that are relevant for agricultural products: industrial eco-labelling, sustainability certification of natural resources and Fair Trade labelling. Thereafter the effectiveness of the schemes is discussed. The chapter ends with a discussion of some perspectives, particularly of the ever increasing number of labelling schemes.

Size dependence of parameters for ecological factors and for nature conservation evaluation of grassland relevés

Abstract In the interpretation of vegetation data originating from releves (e.g. quadrats sensu Braun-Blanquet) which differ in size, it is important to know how substantial the size effect may be. This effect may be influenced by the score of parameters based on the composition of the vegetation, e.g. those indicating ecological factors (trophic state, type of land use) and the score of evaluation parameters (nature conservation value). Susceptibility to the size of the releve may provide a criterion for parameter choice. In order to investigate the size dependence of some parameters for grassland vegetation, releves were made on grassland (100–500 m2 and the adjacent ditch banks (25–75 m2). The study was performed in the peat polder district of the province of South Holland. Parameters for ecological factors scarcely showed any size dependene while parameters for nature conservation evaluation did. However, in order to lessen the size dependence of the latter, an evaluation parameter was designed which seemed to exclude size-dependence. The precision of ecological factor parameters and evaluation parameters did not differ substantially. The results of the field and ditch bank vegetation were fairly similar.

Altered availability of heavy metals for grasses in thermally cleaned field soils

Abstract On a series of field sites with thermally cleaned soils and their adjacent natural soils the availability of Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd for Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and Creeping Bent (Agrostis stolonifera) was investigated as part of a research program, ‘Ecological recovery of cleaned soil’. The thermally cleaned field soils can be characterized as alkaline, loam-poor, sandy soils, whilst their adjacent field soils display several soil types. Compared to governmental quality standards all thermally cleaned and half of the adjacent field soils can be classified as lightly or moderately polluted. The standardized extractable amounts of Zn and Cu are lower in the thermally cleaned field soils, but possibly higher for Pb. The standardized contents of heavy metals in grasses are in general (significantly for Zn and Cd) lower in thermally cleaned field soils. In the cleaned and in the adjacent field soils a clear interference between the Cd uptake and the Cu and Zn content of the soil was notable. Heavy metal levels do not exceed toxic limits for plant growth, but partly exceed toxic limits for sheep. In the future an increase in the availability can be expected because of the steadily declining pH.

Ecological Recovery of Some Thermally and Biologically Cleaned Field Soils

To restore the quality of polluted soil in the Netherlands one option is for it to be cleaned. A research program was set up to investigate the ecological recovery thermally and biologically cleaned soil in a series of field sites. The results of physical and chemical measurements, of the colonization and succession of plants, earthworms, nematodes, mites and springtails, and ecotoxicological aspects, indicate that recovery in the cleaned sandy soils seems to progress normally compared to similar natural soils.