Academic literature on the topic 'Urban and peri-urban tropical hydro-ecosystems'

Dingoes and other wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo and hybrids) are generalist predators that consume a wide variety of different prey species within their range. Little is known, however, of the diets of dingoes in north-eastern Australia where the potential for impacts by dingoes exists. Recently new information has been provided on the diets of dingoes from several sites in Queensland, Australia, significantly adding to the body of published knowledge on ecosystems within this region. Further information on the diet of dingoes in north-eastern Australia is added from 1460 scats collected from five sites, representing tropical savannahs, tropical offshore islands (and a matched mainland area), dry sclerophyll forests and peri-urban areas on the fringe of Townsville. Macropods, possums and bandicoots were found to be common prey for dingoes in these areas. Evidence suggested that the frequency of prey remains in scats can be an unreliable indicator of predation risk to potential prey and it was found that novel and unexpected prey species appear in dingo diets as preferred prey become unavailable. The results support the generalisation that dingoes prefer medium- to large-sized native prey species when available but also highlight the capacity for dingoes to exploit populations of both large and small prey species that might not initially be considered at risk from predation based solely on data on scats.

Biodiversity strengthens the productivity of any ecosystem (agricultural land, forest, lake, etc.). The loss of biodiversity contributes to food and energy insecurity; increases vulnerability to natural disasters, such as floods or tropical storms; and decreases the quality of both life and health. Wild and managed bees play a key role in maintaining the biodiversity and in the recovery and restoration of degraded habitats. The novelty character of this perspective is to give an updated representation of bee products’ biodiversity, sustainability, and health relationship. The role of bees as bioindicators, their importance in the conservation of biodiversity, their ecosystem services, and the variety of the bee products are described herein. An overview of the main components of bee products, their biological potentials, and health is highlighted and detailed as follows: (i) nutritional value of bee products, (ii) bioactive profile of bee products and the related beneficial properties; (iii) focus on honey and health through a literature quantitative analysis, and (iv) bee products explored through databases. Moreover, as an example of the interconnection between health, biodiversity, and sustainability, a case study, namely the “Cellulose Park”, realized in Rome (Italy), is presented here. This case study highlights how bee activities can be used to assess and track changes in the quality of agricultural ecosystems—hive products could be valid indicators of the quality and health of the surrounding environment, as well as the changes induced by the biotic and abiotic factors that impact the sustainability of agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in peri-urban areas.

Wet detention ponds are the best management systems for the control of urban stormwater. The objective of this study is to develop optimum pollution control performance of wet detention ponds using an analytical probabilistic model (APM) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). An urban catchment, in a tropical region, was selected as a case study and APM parameters were developed using long-term rainfall data. Firstly, the active storage was kept constant while the permanent pool was varied and PSO simulations conducted. Secondly, PSO simulations were conducted, keeping the permanent pool constant and varying the active storage. The pollution control increased with increasing detention time, reached a peak value and thereafter declined. However, the pollution control was more sensitive to permanent pool than active storage as higher pollution control is attained at a shorter time using the former. The PSO captures the optimum detention time and the corresponding peak pollution control performance by five iterations and the computational time required for the PSO is much shorter than the APM which has to be exhaustively enumerated. The optimum detention time in tropical climates is found to be shorter than temperate regions and recommendations given in existing literature cannot be applied to tropical regions.

The natural and semi-natural areas within cities provide important refuges for biodiversity, as well as many benefits to people. To study urban ecology and quantify the benefits of urban ecosystems, we need to understand the spatial extent and configuration of different types of vegetated cover within a city. It is challenging to map urban ecosystems because they are typically small and highly fragmented; thus requiring high resolution satellite images. This article describes a new high-resolution map of land cover for the tropical city-state of Singapore. We used images from WorldView and QuickBird satellites, and classified these images using random forest machine learning and supplementary datasets into 12 terrestrial land classes. Close to 50 % of Singapore’s land cover is vegetated while freshwater fills about 6 %, and the rest is bare or built up. The overall accuracy of the map was 79 % and the class-specific errors are described in detail. Tropical regions such as Singapore have a lot of cloud cover year-round, complicating the process of mapping using satellite imagery. The land cover map provided here will have applications for urban biodiversity studies, ecosystem service quantification, and natural capital assessment.

Abstract Urban flooding is one of the major issues in many parts of the world, and its management is often challenging. One of the challenges highlighted by the hydrology and related communities is the need for more open data and monitoring of floods in space and time. In this paper, we present the development phases and experiments of an Internet of Things (IoT)-based wireless sensor network for hydrometeorological data collection and flood monitoring for the urban area of Colima-Villa de Álvarez in Mexico. The network is designed to collect fluvial water level, soil moisture and weather parameters that are transferred to the server and to a web application in real-time using IoT Message Queuing Telemetry Transport protocol over 3G and Wi-Fi networks. The network is tested during three different events of tropical storms that occurred over the area of Colima during the 2019 tropical cyclones season. The results show the ability of the smart water network to collect real-time hydrometeorological information during extreme events associated with tropical storms. The technology used for data transmission and acquisition made it possible to collect information at critical times for the city. Additionally, the data collected provided essential information for implementing and calibrating hydrological models and hydraulic models to generate flood inundation maps and identify critical infrastructure.

A consequence of urbanization was the intensification of urban heat islands, especially in tropical cities. There have been rapid developments in infrastructure that have displaced open spaces. Meanwhile, Indonesia has a tropical climate directly affected by climate change. A high priority has been placed on adaptation measures to address issues such as sea-level rise, increased extreme weather, and threats to ecosystems and biodiversity. There is still a lack of specific knowledge regarding tropical climate in urban areas. In this paper, the author examines how building and urban planning affect urban heat islands in the tropics. According to the review, early planning and building based on local weather data can reduce the energy consumption and minimize the UHI effect. Furthermore, a media campaign and early education should increase awareness about adaptation measures between governments and citizens. Based on the findings from this study, some recommendations are offered for future urban planning, especially for tropical climates, to reduce UHI effects.

To tackle urban heterogeneity and complexity, several indices have been proposed, commonly aiming to provide information for decision-makers. In this study, we propose a novel and customizable procedure for quantifying urban ecosystem integrity. Based on a citywide approach, we developed an easy-to-use index that contrasts physical and biological variables of urban ecosystems with a given reference system. The Urban Ecosystem Integrity Index (UEII) is the sum of the averages from the variables that make up its intensity of urbanization and biological components. We applied the UEII in a Mexican tropical city using land surface temperature, built cover, and the richness of native plants and birds. The overall ecosystem integrity of the city, having montane cloud, tropical dry, and temperate forests as reference systems, was low (−0.34 ± SD 0.32), showing that, beyond its biodiverse greenspace network, the built-up structure highly differs from the ecosystems of reference. The UEII showed to be a flexible and easy-to-calculate tool to evaluate ecosystem integrity for cities, allowing for comparisons between or among cities, as well as the sectors/regions within cities. If used properly, the index could become a useful tool for decision making and resource allocation at a city level.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a multidimensional approach for effectively managing natural disasters; this paper has three research objectives. First, it provides an analysis on the hydro-geomorphological effects of the cyclone in the urban context. Second, it proposes an analysis for the vulnerability and resilience recovery of the populations living in urban areas. Third, it specifies the implications for sustainable recovery and longer-term disaster risk reduction. Design/methodology/approach A detailed case study of the tropical cyclone Pam was carried out to identify hydro-geomorphologic effects and damages in an urban area and specific problems associated with managing natural disaster in Vanuatu. Findings The investigations reveal that living in an urban area increases a population’s exposure to hydrological, weather and sea-related risks. Whereas advice on cyclones seems to work very well, the coastal risks and floods seem to be underestimated with a very high exposure and vulnerability to risk. Pre-existing vulnerabilities were exacerbated after cyclone Pam. However, other communities have been able to reinforce their resilience through local initiatives. The government and outside aid were very quick to react, despite problems of coordination, exchange of information, communication and long-term strategy. Practical implications The bottom-up, top-down, local and global approaches, applied on the time scales, should lead to actions that will reinforce the ability of the people of Vanuatu to adapt to high-energy events and to the effects of climate change. Originality/value This paper highlights the importance of understanding how the urban communities are vulnerable to natural hazards and of strategies for increasing their resilience.

La présente recherche traite de l'influence des activités anthropiques sur les hydro-écosystèmes tropicaux. Elle a pour but d'évaluer l'impact de l'urbanisation sur les ressources en eau. Elle vise à améliorer notre connaissance des processus géochimiques et des transferts de matières en milieu urbain et périurbain. L'étude a été menée dans le bassin versant de la Mefou (840 km2, Afrique Centrale), affluent du fleuve Nyong. Ce bassin englobe toute l'aire urbaine et périurbaine de la ville de Yaoundé, capitale du Cameroun, peuplée d'environ 2,8 millions d'habitants, et classée deuxième grande métropole du pays. Les concentrations d'éléments majeurs et en trace dans la fraction dissoute, de carbone organique dissous et particulaire, et de métaux dans les matières en suspension ont été mesurées dans les eaux souterraines et les eaux d'écoulement depuis les têtes de bassin de la Mefou jusqu'au fleuve Nyong. Les résultats présentent les interactions entre eaux/roches/sol et les effets de l'urbanisation. La normalisation des concentrations à la Croute Continentale Supérieure (Upper Continental Crust, UCC) montre l'influence du socle rocheux granito-gneissique sur la composition des eaux souterraines et des eaux de surface du bassin versant de la Mefou. Il y a un enrichissement en alcalins (Na, K), alcalino-terreux (Ca, Mg), métaux de transition (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) et REEs (La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Yb, Lu). L'enrichissement remarquable des eaux de surface en Eu s'explique par l'altération des plagioclases. La comparaison du bassin versant de la Mefou avec les sites de référence, le bassin versant de Nsimi (source et ruisseau du Mengong) et le fleuve Nyong suivis depuis plus de vingt ans dans le cadre du SNO MTROPICS, fait ressortir un très important enrichissement des eaux en éléments majeurs (Cl, SO4, NO3, Na, K, Ca, Mg). Les activités humaines entrainent une contamination des eaux par les nutriments et les métaux, et influencent la dynamique des processus tel que l'absence de complexation des métaux par la matière organique probablement due à l'absence ou la faible concentration en acides humiques et fulviques. Dans les eaux souterraines, Mn, Al, Ba, Zn, Fe sont les métaux de transition dominants et il est noté une contamination par les nitrates (942 ± 127 µmol/L) avec des concentrations supérieures à la norme fixée par l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (806 µmol/L), et dans une moindre mesure par certains métaux comme Al, Mn. Dans les eaux de surface, Fe, Mn, Ba, Al, Zn, Cu sont les éléments traces métalliques les plus importants. Cependant la concentration moyenne de Mn (4,1 ± 0,8 µmol/L) et la concentration maximale de Fe (267 µmol/L) sont supérieures aux normes recommandées (1,8 µmol/L and 35,8 µmol/L, respectivement). La pollution diminue progressivement du Mfoundi (affluent de la rivière Mefou, en ville) vers la rivière Mefou et le fleuve nyong. Ce processus d'auto-régulation naturelle est dû à la dilution, la sédimentation, la dégradation et l'adsorption des éléments dans les zones de bas fonds et dans le lit de la rivière occupé par les macrophytes dotés d'un rôle phytoremédiateur. [...]
This research addresses the influence of human activities on tropical hydro-ecosystems. Its purpose is to assess the impact of urbanization on water resources. It aims to improve our knowledge of geochemical processes and material transfers in urban and peri-urban areas. The study was conducted in the Mefou river basin (840 km2, Central Africa), a tributary of the Nyong River. This basin includes the entire urban and peri-urban area of the city of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, with a population of about 2.8 million inhabitants, and classified as the country's second largest metropolis. Concentrations of major and trace elements in the dissolved fraction, dissolved and particulate organic carbon, and metals in suspended solids were measured in groundwater and runoff water from the Mefou basin heads to the Nyong River. The results present the interactions between water/rock/soil and the effects of urbanization. The normalization of concentrations with the Upper Continental Crust (UCC) shows the influence of the granito-gneissic bedrock on the composition of groundwater and surface water in the Mefou catchment area. There is an enrichment in alkalis (Na, K), alkaline earths (Ca, Mg), transition metals (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) and REEs (La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Yb, Lu). The remarkable enrichment of surface waters in Eu is explained by the alteration of plagioclases. Comparison of the Mefou catchment area with the reference sites, the Nsimi catchment area (source and stream of the Mengong) and the Nyong River monitored for more than twenty years under the SNO MTROPICS, shows a very significant enrichment of the waters in major elements (Cl, SO4, NO3, Na, K, Ca, Mg). Human activities lead to water contamination by nutrients and metals, and influence the dynamics of processes such as the absence of metal complexation by organic matter, probably due to the absence or low concentration of humic and fulvic acids. In groundwater, Mn, Al, Ba, Zn, Zn, Fe are the dominant transition metals and nitrate contamination (942 ± 127 µmol/L) is noted with concentrations above the standard set by the World Health Organization (806 µmol/L), and to a lesser extent by some metals like Al, Mn. In surface waters, Fe, Mn, Ba, Al, Zn, Cu are the most important metallic trace elements. However, the average concentration of Mn (4.1 ± 0.8 µmol/L) and the maximum concentration of Fe (267 µmol/L) are higher than the recommended standards (1.8 µmol/L and 35.8 µmol/L, respectively). Pollution is gradually decreasing from Mfoundi (a tributary of the Mefou River in town) to the Mefou River and the Nyong River. This natural self-regulation process is due to the dilution, sedimentation, degradation and adsorption of elements in lowland areas and in the riverbed occupied by macrophytes with a phytoremediator role. Indeed, the large volumes of water from the other tributaries of the Mefou and Nyong rivers, which drain areas with little or no anthropisation, dilute the concentration of elements in the highly mineralised waters from the urban area. The flat relief downstream of the Mefou basin slows the flow of the river and favours the deposition of suspended particles loaded with pollutants. The roots of the macrophytes in this vast and highly developed swampy area trap the organic and mineral pollutants of the Mefou River and contribute to the decrease in their concentration in the river's water

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A dominância de espécies exóticas é uma das principais características de florestas secundárias e dos chamados Novel Ecosystems. Apesar de estudos avaliarem os padrões destas comunidades em florestas tropicais úmidas, pouco ainda é conhecido sobre esses padrões em florestas tropicais. A espécie Pinus elliotti possui alto potencial invasor em florestas neotropicais, sendo encontrada em florestas secundárias da Zona da Mata Mineira. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a dinâmica (5 anos) da comunidade arbórea de uma floresta secundária urbana dominada por P. elliotti. As mudanças florísticas e estruturais foram analisadas a partir de comparações entre dois inventários realizados em parcelas permanentes (15 parcelas de 20 x 20 m alocadas aleatoriamente na floresta) nos anos de 2011 e 2016. Todos os indivíduos arbóreos com DAP ≥ 5 cm foram amostrados, mensurados, e calculados os parâmetros estruturais, fitossociológicos e diversidade de espécies. Foram calculadas as taxas de dinâmica (recrutamento, mortalidade, ganho e perda de área basal), sendo amostrados 943 indivíduos, 168 recrutas e 151 mortos. A comunidade apresentou forte dominância específica, com grande concentração dos valores de importância (VI) distribuídos nas sete primeiras espécies (Pinus elliottii; Miconia artemisiana; Mimosa artemisiana; Myrcia splendens, Pleroma mutabilis, Piptadenia gonoacantha e Miconia urophyla), que, juntas, somaram 52,2% do VI total. Entre as duas medições, a taxa de mortalidade, de 3,50%.ano-1, foi pouco inferior a de recrutamento, de 3,85%.ano-1. A taxa de ganho em área basal de 5,98%.ano-1, superou a de perda, de 2,90%.ano-1. Apesar da presença das espécies invasoras e da dinâmica acelerada, não foram observadas grandes alterações estruturais no fragmento, com tendência da comunidade de se manter floristicamente estável, a curto e médio prazo, em função da resistência das principais populações.
The dominance of exotic species is a major feature of secondary forests and socalled Novel Ecosystems. Although studies assess the patterns of these communities in tropical rainforests, little is known about these patterns in tropical forests. The species Pinus elliotti have high invasive potential in neotropical forests, and are found in secondary forests of the Zona da Mata at Minas Gerais State. The aim of this study was to analyze the dynamics (5 years) of the tree community of an urban secondary forest dominated by P. elliotti. Floristic and structural changes were analyzed from comparisons between two inventories in permanent plots (15 plots of 20 x 20 m randomly allocated in the forest) in the years 2011 and 2016. All tree individuals with DBH ≥ 5 cm were sampled, measured, and calculated the structural, phytosociological and species diversity parameters. Dynamic rates (recruitment, mortality, gain and loss of basal area) were calculated, being sampled 943 individuals, 168 recruits and 151 deaths. The community showed a strong specific dominance, with a high concentration of importance values (VI) distributed in the first seven species (Pinus elliottii; Miconia artemisiana; Mimosa artemisiana; Myrcia splendens; Pleroma mutabilis; Piptadenia gonoacantha; Miconia urophyla), which accounted for 52.2% of the total VI. Between the two measurements, the mortality rate of 3.50% .year-1 was slightly lower than that of recruitment of 3.85% .year-1. The rate of gain in basal area of 5.98% .year-1 exceeded that of loss of 2.90% .year-1. Despite the presence of invasive species and accelerated dynamics, there were no major structural changes in the fragment, believing that the community is able to remain floristically stable in the short and medium term, due to the resistance of the main populations.

In popular discourse, tropical forests are synonymous with 'nature' and 'wilderness'; battlegrounds between apparently pristine floral, faunal, and human communities, and the unrelenting industrial and urban powers of the modern world. It is rarely publicly understood that the extent of human adaptation to, and alteration of, tropical forest environments extends across archaeological, historical, and anthropological timescales. This book is the first attempt to bring together evidence for the nature of human interactions with tropical forests on a global scale, from the emergence of hominins in the tropical forests of Africa to modern conservation issues. Following a review of the natural history and variability of tropical forest ecosystems, this book takes a tour of human, and human ancestor, occupation and use of tropical forest environments through time. Far from being pristine, primordial ecosystems, this book illustrates how our species has inhabited and modified tropical forests from the earliest stages of its evolution. While agricultural strategies and vast urban networks emerged in tropical forests long prior to the arrival of European colonial powers and later industrialization, this should not be taken as justification for the massive deforestation and biodiversity threats imposed on tropical forest ecosystems in the 21st century. Rather, such a long-term perspective highlights the ongoing challenges of sustainability faced by forager, agricultural, and urban societies in these environments, setting the stage for more integrated approaches to conservation and policy-making, and the protection of millennia of ecological and cultural heritage bound up in these habitats.

In Ten Commitments: Reshaping the Lucky Country’s Environment, leading environmental thinkers in Australia have written provocative chapters on environmental issues facing the nation. Each chapter includes 10 key issues that must be urgently addressed to improve Australia’s environment. The book is organised by ecosystem, by sector and by cross-cutting themes. Topics include: deserts, rangelands, woodlands, tropical savannas, urban settlements, forestry, tropical and temperate marine ecosystems, tropical rainforest, alpine and aquatic ecosystems, coasts, fisheries, agriculture, mining, grazing, tourism, climate change, earth systems, water, biodiversity, policy and institutional reforms, the private sector, human population, health, fire, emergency management, Indigenous land management and energy. With over 40 experts weighing in on Australia’s most pressing issues, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the environment.

What are the 10 key issues that must be addressed urgently to improve Australia's environment? In this follow up to the highly successful book Ten Commitments: Reshaping the Lucky Country's Environment, Australia’s leading environmental thinkers have written provocative chapters on what must be done to tackle Australia's environmental problems – in terms of policies, on-ground actions and research. Each chapter begins with a brief overview of the 10 key tasks that need to be addressed in a given field, and then each issue is discussed in more detail. Chapters are grouped into ecosystems, sectors and cross-cutting themes. Topics include: deserts, rangelands, temperate eucalypt woodlands, tropical savanna landscapes, urban settlements, forestry management , tropical and temperate marine ecosystems, tropical rainforests, alpine ecosystems, freshwater ecosystems, coasts, islands, soils, fisheries, agriculture, mining, grazing, tourism, industry and manufacturing, protected areas, Indigenous land and sea management, climate change, water, biodiversity, population, human health, fire, energy and more. Ten Commitments Revisited is a must read for politicians, policy makers, decision makers, practitioners and others with an interest in Australia’s environment.

Abstract The influence of landscapes – topography, soil, vegetation, geology – on water quality is an inherent part of the global water cycle. Land use has adverse impacts for example when soils are exposed, significant quantities of pollutants are released (including anthropogenic materials added to those naturally present), or pollutants are added directly to the water environment. Those impacts range from industrial development to farming and urbanisation. Whilst inefficient polluting industrial effluents are still tolerated in some countries, and poorly treated sewage globally remains a huge challenge for sanitation and public health, as well as the water environment, diffuse pollution is relatively poorly recognised or understood. The operator of a sewage or trade effluent treatment plant is consciously discharging effluent to the local river. But a farmer is simply growing crops or farming livestock, a city commuter driving to work is unlikely to be thinking how brake pad wear has released copper to the water (and air) environment and hydrocarbons and particulates too; no one is intending to cause pollution of the water environment. The same applies to industrial chemists creating fire-proofing chemicals, solvents, fertilisers, pesticides, cosmetics and many more substances which contaminate the environment. Understanding and ultimately minimising diffuse pollution is in that sense the science of unintended consequences. And the consequences can be severe, for water resources and ecosystems. It's a global problem. This book comprises 18 papers from experts around the globe, presenting evidence from tropical as well as temperate regions, and rural as well as urban land use challenges. The book explores the nature of diffuse pollution and exemplifies the issues at various scales, from high-level national overviews to particular catchment and pollutant issues. By contrast, natural or semi-natural forest cover has long been recognised as safeguarding water quality in reservoirs (examples from Australia to Thailand and UK). The final chapter looks at how landscapes generally, can be designed to minimise pollution risks from particular land-uses, arguing for a more widespread catchment approach to water-aware landscape design, allied with flood risk resilience, place-making for people, and biodiversity opportunities too. ISBN: 9781789061116 (Paperback) ISBN: 9781789061123 (eBook) ISBN: 9781789061130 (ePub)

This chapter covers the environmental history of Tropical East Asia, starting with its assembly from Gondwanan fragments during the Mesozoic. Changes in sea level, climate, and vegetation are covered in increasing detail from the Eocene to the present day, and the influence of volcanic eruptions and other natural catastrophes is discussed. The history of human occupation is outlined, from the appearance of Homo erectus more than a million years ago, through the arrival of modern humans in the region 80,000–50,000 years ago, to the spread of agriculture and the development of urban settlements. Human impacts on natural ecosystems are considered throughout the period of occupation, culminating in the concept of the human-dominated Anthropocene.

The above quote by the German poet, novelist, and painter Herman Hesse highlights the cultural significance of forests in nineteenth- and twentieth-century western culture as the ‘natural’ contrast to growing urban populations and industrial expansion. Hesse’s focus on the ‘ancient’ element of these environments is certainly valid in a tropical context, given that tropical forests are some of the oldest land-based environments on the planet, existing for over one thousand times longer than Homo sapiens (Upchurch and Wolf, 1987; Davis et al., 2005; Ghazoul and Shiel, 2010; Couvreur et al., 2011). This antiquity also makes them one of the richest and most diverse terrestrial ecosystems on the planet (Whitmore, 1998; Ghazoul and Shiel, 2010). Tropical rainforests, for example, contain over half of the world’s existing plant, animal, and insect species (Wilson, 1988). A significant portion of the developed world’s diet today originated in tropical forests—including staples such as squash and yams, spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar cane, and fruits including bananas, coconuts, avocados, mangoes, and tomatoes (Iriarte et al., 2007; Roberts et al., 2017a). Tropical forests also often provide ample freshwater for their inhabitants. However, despite popular perceptions of forests, and specifically tropical forests, as uniform, they are, in fact, highly variable across space and time. In tropical evergreen rainforests productivity is often primarily allocated to wood products, meaning that edible plants and animals for human subsistence have been considered lacking, or at least more difficult to extract, relative to more open tropical forest formations (Whitmore, 1998; Ghazoul and Shiel, 2010). Similarly, while evergreen tropical rainforests generally receive significant precipitation and freshwater, seasonally dry tropical forests are subject to sub-annual periods of aridity. Therefore, while archaeologists and anthropologists have tended to see ‘tropical forest’ as a uniform environmental block, it is important to explore the diversity within this category.

Microplastics (MP) refer to all plastic particles that are less than 5 mm in size. Over the past decades, several studies have highlighted the impact of microplastics (MP) on living organisms. In addition to being pollutants themselves, these synthetic polymers also act as vectors for the transport of various types of chemicals in natural ecosystems. MP has been ubiquitously detected in a wide range of shapes, polymers, sizes and concentrations in marine water, freshwater, agroecosystems, atmospheric, food and water environments. Drinking water, biota, and other remote places. According to the World Bank, over 80% of the world’s marine litter is plastic and the concentration of litter on Caribbean beaches is often high, with a high presence of single-use plastics and food containers. In its work, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests an in-depth assessment of microplastics present in the environment and their potential consequences on human health, following the publication of an analysis of the state of research on microplastics in drinking water. It also calls for reducing plastic pollution to protect the environment and reduce human exposure. In Haiti, the bay of Port-au-Prince is the natural receptacle of all the urban effluents generated by human activities in the Metropolitan Zone. This urban wastewater carries household waste, sludge from pit latrines and sewage, industrial wastewater which largely contributes to the pollution of the bay. Furthermore, 1,673,750 tonnes per year of household waste, including 93,730 tonnes of plastic waste, are not collected. What are the environmental dangers represented by the MP contained in those wastes for living organisms in exposed tropical ecosystems? The purpose of this paper is: (i) to do a bibliographical review of the physical and chemical properties, as well as the toxicological profile of MP, (ii) to identify the environmental hazards associated with MP contained in urban waste in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.

Most contributions to this volume frame emerging ‘consciousness of connections’ through international politics, economics and trade, urban/ rural exchanges, social movements, environmental transformations, and global citizenship and governance. These views reflect a remarkably linear world-view of dialectics such as: past/present, growth/sustainability, internal/external, and production/recycle. Langton (Chapter 9), however, introduces the idea of symbolic environmental space, or spacialization, which is expressed in the Aboriginal concept of totem. Totem defines other dimensions of knowing that emerge from cosmic environments through connections with animal spirits. These non-lineal manifestations might be described as spiritual clusters that, unlike the electron clouds that enshroud an atomic nucleus, are literally grounded through centres that define human landscapes marked by cultural mechanisms such as sacred sites and song lines. Indigenous peoples in other parts of the world share with Aboriginal Australians this view of cosmic connectedness between living things and the Earth (see Posey and Dutfield 1996). Thus, human beings share life with all other living organisms, and, indeed, may be transformed into other transgenic forms through death, ceremony, or shamanistic practice. In this chapter, I want to explore how such world-views function to create and maintain anthropogenic and cultural landscapes that conserve ecological and biological diversity. I also hope to show how global trade and political initiatives are working to sever and fragment these cosmic connections by reducing the vast bio-diversity of nature to mere products for biotechnology and commercial exploitation. I suggest that the commodification of nature—especially through Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)—is one of the biggest threats to global security in the twenty-first century. This is because global consumerism is driven by market prices that ignore or obliterate the local cultural, spiritual and economic values of indigenous and local peoples, who still manage, maintain and conserve much of the biological diversity of the planet. Many of my examples will come from the Kayapó Indians, with whom I have lived and worked since 1977. The Kayapó inhabit a 4 million hectare (approximately 9 million acre) continuum of ecosystems from the grasslands of the Brazilian planalto to the tropical and gallery forests of the Amazon basin.