Leveraging Hazard,Exposure,and Social Vulnerability Data to Assess Flood Risk to Indigenous Communities in Canada

This study integrates novel data on 100-year flood hazard extents,exposure of residential properties,and place-based social vulnerability to comprehensively assess and compare flood risk between Indigenous communities living on 985 reserve lands and other Canadian communities across 3701 census subdivisions.National-scale exposure of residential properties to fluvial,pluvial,and coastal flooding was estimated at the 100-year return period.A social vulnerability index(SVI)was developed and included 49 variables from the national census that represent demographic,social,economic,cultural,and infrastructure/community indicators of vulnerability.Geographic information system-based bivariate choropleth mapping of the composite SVI scores and of flood exposure of residential properties and population was completed to assess the spatial variation of flood risk.We found that about 81%of the 985 Indigenous land reserves had some flood exposure that impacted either population or residential properties.Our analysis indicates that residential property-level flood exposure is similar between non-Indigenous and Indigenous communities,but socioeconomic vulnerability is higher on reserve lands,which confirms that the overall risk of Indigenous communities is higher.Findings suggest the need for more local verification of flood risk in Indigenous communities to address uncertainty in national scale analysis.

Vertebrate pesticide risk assessment by indigenous communities in New Zealand

In New Zealand,the vertebrate pesticide sodium fluoroacetate(Compound 1080)is aerially applied in baits for control of the brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula(Kerr,1792).Maori,the indigenous people of New Zealand,have raised concerns about 1080 impacts on culturally-important species.Here,we outline two steps taken to help Maori assess 1080 risk.First,field research was undertaken to determine if naturally-occurring plants utilized by a Maori community for food and medicine would take up 1080 from baits.Single baits were placed at the base of individual plants of two species,pikopiko(Asplenium bulbiferum)and karamuramu(Coprosma robusta).Plants were sampled at various times up to 56 days,and samples were analyzed for 1080 content.No 1080 was detected in any of the pikopiko samples,whereas 1080 was detected in karamuramu,at a maximum concentration of 5 ppb after seven days,and 2.5 ppb after 14 days.This concentration decreased to 0 at 28 days,indicating that 1080 was not persistent.The results of the present study suggest there is negligible risk of humans being poisoned by consum-ing plants that have taken up 1080 from baits.To allay community concerns that minute concentrations of 1080 might influence the medicinal properties of plants,it is suggested that a withholding period of 30 days after 1080 control operations could be adopted.Second,after further consultation we undertook a review of the scientific literature relating to 1080 impacts on additional non-target species of cultural importance to Maori.The information was presented on an interactive foodweb database that allowed the collection and presentation of a large volume of complex information about 1080 in a holistic and pictorial fashion.This database was presented to many Maori communities throughout New Zealand,and feedback was overwhelmingly positive.The database is likely to play a key role in informing these communities about 1080,and is seen as an important new tool to help these communities make their own risk assessments.

When Gods Cry： Exploring Environmental Crisis Through Literature Inspired by the Indigenous People＇s Experience

The recent devastation caused by natural calamities in the Philippines has prompted the government to initiate programs that might not altogether prevent but at least minimize the dire effects of future disasters. Among these programs are the information campaigns to promote awareness among the communities in calamity-prone areas Several symposia that provide venue for the discussion of environmental ＂bads＂ have been conducted, but none yet has explored the perceptions of the indigenous peoples, staunch ＂defenders＂ and protectors of the environment who themselves are victims of such calamities. This paper seeks to highlight the perceptions of the indigenous people on the causes and impact of environmental ＂bads＂ through literature inspired by their experiences. When Gods Cry is an unpublished anthology of fiction inspired by the author＇s interaction with indigenous communities in southern Philippines while doing research on oral traditions. Three works of fiction are discussed in this paper, namely： The OldMan andthe Mountain （2012）, Loom of Dreams （2012）, and Waterfall （2012）. Each of these works highlights the indigenous people＇s struggle to protect their ancestral domains and the environment, their home, against external factors. Thematic literary analysis is used in the discussion of the contents of each work.

Innovative Practices for the Promotion of Local/Indigenous Knowl­edge for Disaster Risk Reduction Management in Sudur Paschim Province,Nepal

This study is an attempt to point out the different types of natural hazards in Sudur Paschim province of Nepal where environmental degradation processes such as deforestation,desertification,biodiversity loss,soil crisp and watershed degradation are rising trends.Using participatory method multi hazard prone areas were identified with type and intensity.Multi criteria evaluation method was applied to prioritize replicable actions with location-specific innovative practices and their legitimization for integrating local and indigenous knowledge into mainstream education,science and policy with a view to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge as live science in disaster and climate change education.Findings of the study reveal that varieties of natural hazards in combination with social factors such as poverty,conflict and inequality have resulted frequent disasters and social vulnerabilities in many parts of the province.Traditionally,indigenous and local people have responded threats of multi hazards by using their traditional knowledge and skills which has evolved over generations,and continue to adapt to future changes.These traditional,often faith-based,beliefs and practices were found to use as the key to their resilience in the face of natural hazards.However,many communities have been lost their knowledge as the elderly die without transferring it to younger members.Behind this proper educational policy and strategic development plans have not been implemented to cope local/indigenous knowledge into practices.Findings of the study indicate that indigenous and local knowledge is a precious province resource that can support the process of disaster prevention,preparedness and response in cost-effective disaster risk reduction.Therefore,policy framework has to prime focus to integrate indigenous and local knowledge,wisdom and skills into mainstream educational programs in order to transfer science into policy and education(words)into practice.

Indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play a role in phosphorus depletion in organic manure amended high fertility soil

The species richness and propagule number of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)are high in intensively-managed agricultural soils.Past research has shown that AMF improve crop phosphorus(P)uptake under low soil P conditions,however it is unclear if AMF play a role in high Olsen-P soils.In this study,we investigated whether native fungal benefits exist under high P input field conditions in-situ and contribute to P utilization.We installed in-grow tubes which were sealed with different membrane pore sizes(30 or 0.45μm)to allow or prevent AMF hyphae access to the hyphal compartment and prevent cotton roots from penetrating the chamber.We used the depletion of soil available P(Olsen-P)in the hyphae accessed compartment to indicate P uptake by the native AMF community.Our results showed that the native AMF mediated P depletion and microbial biomass P(MBP)turnover and caused the largest Olsen-P depletion ratio and MBP turnover ratio in the high P treatments(Olsen-P:78.29 mg kg^(-1)).The cotton roots in each fertilization regime were colonized by a unique AMF community and Glomus and Paraglomus were the dominant genera,implying the longterm fertilization regimes domesticated the AMF community.We conclude that native AMF caused the P depletion and P turnover even under high soil Olsen-P conditions.

Linking microbial community composition to farming pattern in selenium-enriched region:Potential role of microorganisms on Se geochemistry

Selenium(Se)is an essential micronutrient for lives.Indigenous microbial communities play an important role on Se geochemistry in soils.In this study,the microbial community composition and functions of 53 soil samples were investigated using high-throughput sequencing.Samples were divided into 3 groups with different farming types based on the measured geochemical parameters and microbial functional structures.Results indicated that putative Se related bacteria Bacillus,Dyella,Paenibacillus,Burkholderia and Brevibacillus were dominant in dryland plantation soils which were characterized with higher available Se and low contents of H_(2)O,total organic carbon(TOC),NH_(4)^(+) and NO_(2)^(-).In contrast,the putative denitrifier Pseudomonas dominated in flooded paddy soils with higher TOC,NO_(3)^(-) and organic Se,whereas genera Rhizobium,Nitrosospira,and Geobacter preferred woodland soils with higher oxidation-reduction potential(ORP),pH,NH_(4)^(+) and Fe.Farming patterns resulted in distinct geochemical parameters including moisture,pH,ORP,TOC,and contents of soluble Fe,NO_(2)^(-) and NH_(4)^(+),shaping the microbial communities,which in turn affected Se forms in soils.This study provides a valuable insight into understanding of Se biogeochemistry in soils and prospective strategy for Se-rich agriculture production.

Impacts of produced water origin on bacterial community structures of activated sludge

The purpose of this study was to reveal how activated sludge communities respond to influent quality and indigenous communities by treating two produced waters from different origins in a batch reactor in succession. The community shift and compositions were investigated using Polymerase Chain Reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（PCR–DGGE） and further16 S ribosomal DNA（r DNA） clone library analysis. The abundance of targeted genes for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon（PAH） degradation, nah Ac/phn Ac and C12O/C23 O, was tracked to define the metabolic ability of the in situ microbial community by Most Probable Number（MPN） PCR. The biosystem performed almost the same for treatment of both produced waters in terms of removals of chemical oxygen demand（COD） and PAHs. Sludge communities were closely associated with the respective influent bacterial communities（similarity 〉 60%）, while one sludge clone library was dominated by the Betaproteobacteria（38%） and Bacteriodetes（30%）and the other was dominated by Gammaproteobacteria（52%）. This suggested that different influent and water quality have an effect on sludge community compositions. In addition, the existence of catabolic genes in sludge was consistent with the potential for degradation of PAHs in the treatment of both produced waters.