Benthic infaunal communities at Mai Po Inner Deep Bay mudflat, Hong Kong were investigated between August 2002 and August 2003. A total of 55 species belonging to 8 Phyla from more than 99,074 specimens were recorded. The species richness varied between 13 at Station B in August 2002 and 28 at Station D in August 2003 with an average of 21 across the mudflat and the species diversity was low [H'(log₂) = 0.7-3.5 with an average H' = 2.4]. Seasonal variations were also observed through abundance and biomass across the mudflat among the seasons. The abundance density was between 8,977 individuals m-² at Station D in February 2003 and 77,256 individuals m-² at Station B in November 2002 and the overall average density was 25,274 individuals m-² for the four stations. The benthic infauna were dominated by pollution tolerant species at this wetland mudflat.

Phytoremediation of pollutants in soils is an emerging technology, using different soil-plant interaction properties. For organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phytodegradation seems to be the most promising approach. It occurs mostly through an increase of the microbial activity in the plant rhizosphere, allowing the degradation of organic substances, a source of carbon for soil microbes. Despite a large amount of available data in the literature concerning laboratory and short term PAH phytodegradation experiments, no actual field application of such technique was previously carried out. In the present study, a soil from a former coking plant was used to evaluate the feasibility and the efficiency of PAH phytodegradation in the field during a three years trial and following a bioremediation treatment. Before the phytoremediation treatment, the soil was homogenized and split into six independent plots with no hydrological connections. On four of these plots, different types of common plant species were sowed: mixture of herbaceous species, short cut (P1), long cut (P2), ornamental plants (P3) and trees (P4). Natural vegetation was allowed to grow on the fifth plot (P5), and the last plot was weeded (P6). Each year, representative sampling of two soil horizons (0-50 and 50-100 cm) was carried out in each plot to characterize the evolution of PAHs concentration in soils and in soils solution obtained by lixiviation. Possible impact of the phytoremediation technique on ecosystems was evaluated using different eco- and genotoxicity tests both on the soil solid matrix and on the soil solution. For each soil horizon, comparable decrease of soil total PAHs concentrations were obtained for three plots, reaching a maximum value of 26% of the initial PAHs concentration. The decrease mostly concerned the 3 rings PAHs. The overall low decrease in PAHs content was linked to a drastic decrease in PAHs availability likely due to the bioremediation treatment. However, soil solutions concentration showed low values and no signficant toxicity was characterized. The mixture of the herbaceous species seemed to be the most promising plants to be used in such procedure.

"This book offers a principle collection of all of the material necessary to understand the legal debates on climate change, ozone depletion and air pollution within their scientific and policy contexts. | The mountain of information coming out of the respective regimes on climate change, ozone depletion and air pollution is monumental. | This work attempts to assembly all of the important documents and resolutions generated by the various regimes, analyze them and provide enough background information to understand the issue and its context." | "The book provides guidance to those actively involved or interested in the negotiations to come to better regimes for climate change, ozone depletion and air pollution."--Jacket.

"Global findings estimate that 80 per cent of marine pollution originates from land-based sources and is trans-boundary in nature. These problems persist in spite of a number of legal and policy initiatives taken to protect the marine environment. This volume explores the applications and shortcomings of current international regimes in addressing these issues. The book identifies the sources and effects of land-based marine pollution and analyses the problems of controlling them. Management principles, policy and regulation are examined at both regional and international level. The author discusses the strengths and weaknesses of existing regimes and advances a more effective international legal framework. The text provides a valuable insight into an important area of international environmental law. It will be of interest to researchers and policy-makers working in this area"--Unedited summary from book cover.

Nous proposons un modèle à générations imbriquées dans lequel les émissions polluantes des firmes sont régulées par un système de permis de pollution. Le quota global d'émission est imposé à l'économie et s'accompagne de contraintes politiques quant à son utilisation. Dans ce contexte, la question se pose de savoir si la régulation de la pollution par les permis et la réalisation de l'optimum de premier rang sont compatibles. Nous montrons que quand la politique est contrainte, il est possible d'établir l'optimalité de l'équilibre grâce à une politique de redistribution de la rente environnementale et à une politique de discrimination par les prix des intervenants (firmes et ménages) sur le marché des permis.