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Most modern-day environmental issues are caused by the complex aggregation and interaction of numerous actions contributing to large-scale problems, from biodiversity loss to climate change. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) consider how projects contribute to these cumulative environmental problems. This article firstly evaluates the theoretical importance of cumulative effects concepts for EIA. It reveals their potential to spotlight values embedded in decision making and to illuminate, as a lighthouse would, types of harm from broad-ranging, typically unregulated, activities. A large-scale global survey of national EIA laws and multilateral environmental agreements then shows that cumulative effects concepts are legally relevant for most national EIA frameworks. This prevalence suggests that better implementation of cumulative effects provisions may help EIA law to deliver more significant benefits than previously appreciated. Evaluating a sample of EIA provisions shows that cumulative effects concepts can contribute to different stages of an EIA, but that using these concepts across all EIA stages would maximize their potential to achieve the theoretical benefits identified. From theoretical and practical legal perspectives, cumulative effects concepts have significant latent potential – perhaps transformational potential – to address cumulative environmental change through EIA regimes at national and international levels. However, without better implementation, the latent potential of these laws to address cumulative environmental problems is likely to remain unrealized. By shedding light on the extent of national and international legal frameworks that adopt cumulative effects concepts, and their differences, this article highlights the significant learning potential between legal regimes to aid improved implementation.

No detailed description available for \"Integrated Environmental Modelling Framework for Cumulative Effects Assessment\".

Cumulative effects assessments are often expected to include an analysis of cumulative social effects to people, their communities, and livelihoods caused by resource development projects and land use activities. Understanding cumulative social effects is important for decisions about prospective resource development projects, but there has been limited attention devoted to how to complete such an assessment. This paper critically examines how cumulative effects frameworks are applied to social impacts during environmental assessments. We do this by analyzing semi-structured interviews exploring practitioner experience in environmental assessments for hydroelectric development in British Columbia and Manitoba, Canada. The results provide a conceptual framework for cumulative social effects and illustrate how identified challenges for cumulative effects assessment are exacerbated by social impacts that introduce additional complexities in impact identification, assessment, and decision-making. The paper concludes with a discussion of how these challenges can be addressed and recommendations for improving environmental assessment practice.

Experiences of migratory species in one habitat may affect their survival in the next habitat, in what is known as carryover effects. These effects are especially relevant for understanding how freshwater experience affects survival in anadromous fishes. Here, we study the carryover effects of juvenile salmon passage through a hydropower system (Snake and Columbia rivers, northwestern United States). To reduce the direct effect of hydrosystem passage on juveniles, some fishes are transported through the hydrosystem in barges, while the others are allowed to migrate in‐river. Although hydrosystem survival of transported fishes is greater than that of their run‐of‐river counterparts, their relative juvenile‐to‐adult survival (hereafter survival) can be less. We tested for carryover effects using generalized linear mixed effects models of survival with over 1 million tagged Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum) (Salmonidae), migrating in 1999–2013. Carryover effects were identified with rear‐type (wild vs. hatchery), passage‐type (run‐of‐river vs. transported), and freshwater and marine covariates. Importantly, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) index characterizing cool/warm (i.e., productive/nonproductive) ocean phases had a strong influence on the relative survival of rear‐ and passage‐types. Specifically, transportation benefited wild Chinook salmon more in cool PDO years, while hatchery counterparts benefited more in warm PDO years. Transportation was detrimental for wild Chinook salmon migrating early in the season, but beneficial for later season migrants. Hatchery counterparts benefited from transportation throughout the season. Altogether, wild fish could benefit from transportation approximately 2 weeks earlier during cool PDO years, with still a benefit to hatchery counterparts. Furthermore, we found some support for hypotheses related to higher survival with increased river flow, high predation in the estuary and plume areas, and faster migration and development‐related increased survival with temperature. Thus, pre‐ and within‐season information on local‐ and broad‐scale conditions across habitats can be useful for planning and implementing real‐time conservation programs. Experiences of migratory species in one habitat may affect their survival in the next habitat, in what is known as carryover effects. In our study, we examined the carryover effects of juvenile salmon passage through a hydropower system (Snake and Columbia rivers, northwestern United States). Carryover effects were identified with rear‐type (wild vs. hatchery), passage‐type (run‐of‐river vs. transported), and freshwater and marine covariates.

'Background': Along with the industrialization, the air pollutants have gained more attention and studies especially about respiratory diseases were conducted. Emergency visit reflects acute aggravation of disease rather than chronic exacerbation. 'Objectives': The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the ambient particulate matter and the emergency visits with respiratory disease in South Korea. 'Methods': Patients diagnosed with respiratory disease in the emergency department in 2018 were enrolled. The data of meteorological factors and air pollutants between 4 December 2017 and 31 December 2018 were acquired. Poisson regression was used with daily emergency visits as the response variable and single-day particulate matter concentration as the explanatory variable. 'Results': A total of 4207 patients were enrolled. In Poisson regression analysis of all respiratory diseases, the effects of PM10 and PM 2 5. were strongest at day before 8 and 26. Age older than 65 group and chronic respiratory disease group had earlier lag effect than the all-diseases group. Cumulative effect was peaked at 14 lag day. The split point of prediction was 87 mug/m3 before 3 days for PM10 and 37 mug/m3 before 8 days for PM 2 5. 'Conclusion': The results can be used to predict the increase of emergency visits and need for medical resources when the ambient particulate matter concentration rises.

Repeated blasting leads to progressive and cumulative effects on blast-induced damage zones in which the extension zone and the intensity of weakness are dynamic. This paper presents the results of an experimental study intended to examine cumulative weakness intensity due to repeated blasting to simulate a bench blasting situation in open pit mining. For this purpose, four concrete blocks were made which were subjected to two different blasting patterns. A grid was designed to measure ultrasonic wave velocity in the blocks. The blocks were blasted by a detonating cord and their weakness intensity index was defined by calculating the difference between wave velocity before and after blasting rounds. The results show that weakness intensity due to the second blasting round was increased when compared to the results of the first blasting round. In addition, dispersion of weakness produced by the second blasting round was more uniform. Moreover, explosive energy distribution in terms of the initiation and propagation of fractures caused by the second blasting round affected the performance of the second blasting round energy. This study increased the current understanding of the repeated blasting cumulative effect on a surrounding rock mass in terms of weakness which affects the mechanical properties of a rock mass.

Global change has been accompanied by recent increases in the frequency and intensity of various ecological disturbances (e.g., fires, floods, cyclones), both natural and anthropogenic in origin. Because these disturbances often interact, their cumulative and synergistic effects can result in unforeseen consequences, such as insect outbreaks, crop failure, and progressive ecosystem degradation. We consider the roles of biological legacies, thresholds, and lag effects responsible for the distinctive impacts of interacting disturbances. We propose a hierarchical classification that distinguishes the patterns and implications associated with random co-occurrences, individual links, and multiple links among disturbances that cascade in chains or networks. Disturbance-promoting interactions apparently prevail over disturbance-inhibiting ones. Complex and exogenous disturbance cascades are less predictable than simple and endogenous links because of their dependency on adjacent or synchronous events. These distinctions help define regional disturbance regimes and can have implications for natural selection, risk assessment, and options for management intervention.

Viewing repetitive striped patterns can induce pattern glare, experienced as visual discomfort (VD). While previous studies examined either pupillary responses or VD separately, few have investigated how they covary or evolve with repeated exposure. This study tested whether pupillary dynamics could serve as potential physiological indicator of individual visual sensitivity beyond subjective reports. Across four experiments (preliminary: = 97; main: = 70 for spatial frequency, = 46 for central field size, = 36 for central blank, with partial overlap), we manipulated spatial frequency, central field size, and surround field size of square-wave gratings (0.5-3 s) while measuring both discomfort and pupil size. Higher spatial frequencies and larger pattern areas elicited stronger pupillary constriction and greater discomfort, whereas repeated exposures produced cumulative increases in discomfort and decreases in baseline pupil size, consistent with visual strain rather than adaptation. To assess the potential of pupillometry as an indicator of visual discomfort, we examined individual differences in the main spatial-frequency experiment (controlled viewing distance, = 42). A paradoxical pattern emerged: within participants, stronger stimuli produced greater constriction, but individuals with higher overall discomfort showed weaker constriction and stronger late redilation. Similar dissociations between subjective sensitivity and pupillary responses have been noted in studies of light-induced discomfort, suggesting that related mechanisms may contribute, although their specific physiological basis remains unclear. Overall, our findings clarify how pattern-induced discomfort evolves over time and across individuals and highlight pupillometry's potential as a sensitive, physiological tool for assessing visual sensitivity.

Many ecological systems are now exposed to multiple stressors, and ecosystem management increasingly requires consideration of the joint effects of multiple stressors on focal populations, communities and ecosystems. In the absence of empirical data, ecosystem managers could use null models based on the combination of independently acting stressors to estimate the joint effects of multiple stressors. Here, we used a simulation study and a meta-analysis to explore the consequences of null model selection for the prediction of mortality resulting from exposure to two stressors. Comparing five existing null models, we show that some null models systematically predict lower mortality rates than others, with predicted mortality rates up to 67.5% higher or 50% lower than the commonly used Simple Addition model. However, the null model predicting the highest mortality rate differed across parameter sets, and therefore there is no general ‘precautionary null model’ for multiple stressors. Using a multi-model framework, we re-analysed data from two earlier meta-analyses and found that 54% of the observed joint effects fell within the range of predictions from the suite of null models. Furthermore, we found that most null models systematically underestimated the observed joint effects, with only the Stressor Addition model showing a bias for overestimation. Finally, we found that the intensity of individual stressors was the strongest predictor of the magnitude of the joint effect across all null models. As a result, studies characterizing the effects of individuals stressors are still required for accurate prediction of mortality resulting from multiple stressors.

Species, habitats, and ecosystems are increasingly exposed to multiple anthropogenic stressors, fueling a rapidly expanding research program to understand the cumulative impacts of these environmental modifications. Since the 1970s, a growing set of methods has been developed through two parallel, sometimes connected, streams of research within the applied and academic realms to assess cumulative effects. Past reviews of cumulative effects assessment (CEA) methods focused on approaches used by practitioners. Academic research has developed several distinct and novel approaches to conducting CEA. Understanding the suite of methods that exist will help practitioners and academics better address various ecological foci (physiological responses, population impacts, ecosystem impacts) and ecological complexities (synergistic effects, impacts across space and time). We reviewed 6 categories of methods (experimental, meta-analysis, single-species modeling, mapping, qualitative modeling, and multispecies modeling) and examined the ability of those methods to address different levels of complexity. We focused on research gaps and emerging priorities. We found that no single method assessed impacts across the 4 ecological foci and 6 ecological complexities considered. We propose that methods can be used in combination to improve understanding such that multimodel inference can provide a suite of comparable outputs, mapping methods can help prioritize localized models or experimental gaps, and future experiments can be paired from the outset with models they will inform. Las especies, los hábitats y los ecosistemas están cada vez más expuestos a múltiples estresantes antropogénicos, lo que aviva a los programas de investigación de rápida expansión a entender los impactos acumulativos de estas modificaciones ambientales. Desde la década de 1970 se ha desarrollado un conjunto creciente de métodos a partir de dos corrientes paralelas (a veces conectadas) de investigación dentro del ámbito académico y del aplicado para evaluar los efectos acumulativos. Las revisiones pasadas de los métodos de evaluación de los efectos acumulativos (CEA, en inglés) se han enfocado en las estrategias que usan los practicantes. La investigación académica ha desarrollado varias estrategias novedosas y distintivas para realizar CEA. El entendimiento del juego de métodos que existen ayudará a los practicantes y a los académicos a lidiar de mejor manera con varios focos ecológicos (respuestas fisiológicas, impactos poblacionales, impactos al ecosistema) y complejidades ecológicas (efectos sinérgicos, impactos a lo largo del tiempo y el espacio). Revisamos seis categorías de métodos (experimental, meta-análisis, modelado de especie única, mapeo, modelado cualitativo y modelado multi-especie) y examinamos la habilidad de estos métodos para lidiar con niveles diferentes de complejidad. Nos enfocamos en los vacíos de investigación y las prioridades emergentes. Encontramos que ninguno de los métodos evaluó los impactos en los cuatro focos ecológicos y en las seis complejidades ecológicas que se consideraron. Proponemos que los métodos pueden usarse de manera combinada para mejorar el entendimiento de tal manera que la inferencia multi-modelo pueda proporcionar un conjunto de resultados comparables, los métodos de mapeo puedan ayudar a priorizar los modelos localizados o los vacíos experimentales, y los futuros experimentos puedan emparejarse desde el inicio con los modelos a los que informarán. 物神、栖息地和生态系统越来越多地暴露在多重的人类活动所产生的压カ下，这ー现象推动着郅些用于 理解这些环境变化的累积影响的研究项目快速扩展。自20世纪70年代起，在应用和学术的领域，一系列方法被 通过时而平行时而交叉的方式开发出来，用于评估这种累积效应。过去关于累积效应评估方法的综述主要聚焦 于实践者使用的方法，而学术研究也发展出不少独特的新方法来评估累积效应。掌握现有的整套方法可以帮助 应用实践者和学术研究者更好地研究诠释各种生态学焦点(生理响应、种群影响、生态系统影响)以及生态复 杂性（协同作用、跨时空影响) 。我们回顾了六类方法（实验、集合分析、单物种建摸、制图、定性建模和多物 种建模 并分析了这些方法处理不同水平的生态复杂性的能力。我们重点关注ー些研究空缺和新兴的研究热 点发现没有哪种单一的方法可以同时用于包含四个生态学焦点和六类生态学复杂性的累积效应的评估。于是 我们提出可以组合使用不同方法来帮助理解这些问題 这样多模型推论可以提供一系列可以比较的結果，制图 的方法可以帮助优先考虑局部地区的模型和实验的空缺，未来的实验也可以从ー开始就与他们要建立的模型匹 配。