Evaluating greenhouse gas emissions inventories for agricultural burning using satellite observations of active fires

Fires in agricultural ecosystems emit greenhouse gases and aerosols that influence climate on multiple spatial and temporal scales. Annex 1 countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), many of which ratified the Kyoto Protocol, are required to report emissions of CH4 and N2O from these fires annually. In this study, we evaluated several aspects of this reporting system, including the optimality of the crops targeted by the UNFCCC globally and within Annex 1 countries, and the consistency of emissions inventories among different countries. We also evaluated the success of individual countries in capturing interannual variability and long-term trends in agricultural fire activity. In our approach, we combined global high-resolution maps of crop harvest area and production, derived from satellite maps and ground-based census data, with Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) measurements of active fires. At a global scale, we found that adding ground nuts (e.g., peanuts), cocoa, cotton and oil palm, and removing potato, oats, rye, and pulse other from the list of 14 crops targeted by the UNFCCC increased the percentage of active fires covered by the reporting system by 9%. Optimization led to a different recommended list for Annex 1 countries, requiring the addition of sunflower, cotton, rapeseed, and alfalfa and the removal of beans, sugarcane, pulse others, and tuber-root others. Extending emissions reporting to all Annex 1 countries (from the current set of 19 countries) would increase the efficacy of the reporting system from 6% to 15%, and further including several non-Annex 1 countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Nigeria) would capture over 55% of active fires in croplands worldwide. Analyses of interannual trends from the United States and Australia showed the importance of both intensity of fire use and crop production in controlling year-to-year variations in agricultural fire emissions. Remote sensing provides an effective means for evaluating some aspects of the current UNFCCC emissions reporting system; and, if combined with census data, field experiments and expert opinion, has the potential to improve the robustness of the next generation inventory system.     

Sexual segregation in timing of foraging by imperial shags (Phalacrocorax atriceps): is it always ladies first?

The time seabirds have to forage is restricted while breeding, as time at sea must be balanced against the need to take turns with the partner protecting the nest site or offspring, and timing constraints change once the breeding season is over. Combined geolocator-immersion devices were deployed on eleven Imperial Shags (four males and seven females) in Argentina (43°04′S; 64°2′W) in November 2006 and recovered in November 2007. During the breeding season, females foraged throughout the morning, males exclusively in the afternoon, and variability between individuals was low. Outside the breeding season, both sexes foraged throughout the day, and variability between individuals was high. Timing differences may be explained by higher constraints on foraging or greater demands of parental duties experienced by the smaller sex, females in this case. Sexual differences in reproductive role, feeding habits or proficiency can also lead to segregation in timing of foraging, particularly while breeding.     

Climate change and population genetic structure of marine species

Climate change influences populations by reducing or extirpating local populations, by disrupting patterns of migration and by shifting geographical distributions. These events can affect genetic population structure in several ways. Molecular markers have been used in numerous population genetic and phylogeographical studies of marine species and have detected population responses to climate change in the last few decades, such as range expansions, adaptative shifts and declines or increases in abundance. Little is known, however, about the molecular and physiological basis of adaptive responses to climate change in marine Mediterranean species. The Mediterranean Sea ecosystem is a ‘living laboratory’ with native species that are challenged by environmental change and by invasive species and a ‘gene-climate’ approach should be adopted as a way of focusing on the relationship between climate warming and genetic diversity.     

The use of sewage sludge as remediation for imidacloprid toxicity in soils

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study investigated the influence of the sewage sludge (SS) soil amendment on the chronic toxicity of imidacloprid (through the seed dressing...     

Fostering green innovation in achieving sustainable performance

Nowadays, sustainable development has been underlined as critical in relation to firm performance and is becoming a global concern. Green innovation is believed to be a fundamental approach to environmental protection and determines the firms' competitiveness. Many factors drive the success of adopting green innovation. Unfortunately, many studies generally focus on large industries. This study investigates the influence of the firms' external pressure and internal factors simultaneously on the adoption of green innovation in small enterprises in developing countries. We conceptualized the four factors that may determine the successful implementation of green innovation to achieve sustainable performance, including environmental regulations, customer pressure, resources and capabilities, and management commitment. Data were gathered from 160 food sector SMEs in Malang Raya, Indonesia. Data analysis used structural equation modeling with the partial least squares approach (SEM-PLS). The empirical results conclude the positive effects of customer pressure, resources and capabilities, and commitment management on green innovation, which in turn had a positive on sustainable performance. The results also confirmed that environmental regulations did not significantly impact green innovation. The findings provide valuable contributions and encourage SMEs to foster green innovation's potential for better sustainable performance and competitive advantage. The findings also offer integrated perspectives on how firms should be more innovative toward sustainability.     

Production of zeolitic materials in pilot scale based on coal ash for phosphate and potassium adsorption in order to obtain fertilizer

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The use of different types of zeolites (X, Na-P1, and 4A) synthesized by different methods and scales were tested in this work to adsorb nutrients...     

Irrigation water intensity and climate variability: an agricultural crops analysis of Italian regions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This paper examines the relationship between the requirement of water resources for irrigation and climate variability and analyses the ranking of the...     

Trace metals in estuarine organisms from a port region in southern Brazil: consumption risk to the local population

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Metal contamination is a threat to estuarine environments. They can accumulate in the food chain and cause toxic effects on aquatic organisms and...     

Measurements of β and α hexachlorocyclohexane in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juglans regia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus spinosa</Emphasis> trees in a contaminated area,central Italy

Vegetables play an important role in the human diet, and the transfer of toxic contaminants from the soil to plants has been little studied for most tree species and their edible portions. In an area affected by hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) contamination, in the Sacco River Valley (central Italy), measurements of β- and α-HCH isomers were made on different parts of two tree species: Juglans regia and Prunus spinosa. Concentrations were analysed in roots, branches, leaves, fruits, and seeds. A spatial evaluation of the results highlighted an inverse association of contamination with distance from the river, which is the main route of transport in the environment. Results in J. regia showed decreasing values in this order: branches > leaves > husks > nutmeat. Results in P. spinosa showed decreasing values in the following order: branches > leaves > fruits. In J. regia, nutmeat values were all below limit of detection (LOD, 0.0005 mg/kg), except in one case in which a very low concentration of β-HCH was found (0.006 mg/Kg), compliant with maximum residue limits (MRLs). The ability of J. regia to store large quantities of β-HCH in wooden and leafy parts but not in edible kernels makes this plant a potential and precious tool in remediation and economical reconversion of polluted areas. It is also valuable for food and wood manufacturing.     

Urban stream syndrome in a small,lightly developed watershed: a statistical analysis of water chemistry parameters,land use patterns,and natural sources

The relationships among land use patterns, geology, soil, and major solute concentrations in stream water for eight tributaries of the Kayaderosseras Creek watershed in Saratoga County, NY, were investigated using Pearson correlation coefficients and multivariate regression analysis. Sub-watersheds corresponding to each sampling site were delineated, and land use patterns were determined for each of the eight sub-watersheds using GIS. Four land use categories (urban development, agriculture, forests, and wetlands) constituted more than 99 % of the land in the sub-watersheds. Eleven water chemistry parameters were highly and positively correlated with each other and urban development. Multivariate regression models indicated urban development was the most powerful predictor for the same eleven parameters (conductivity, TN, TP, NO $_{3}^-$ , Cl^?, HCO $_{3}^-$ , SO $_{4}^{2-}$ , Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺). Adjusted R ² values, ranging from 19 to 91 %, indicated that these models explained an average of 64 % of the variance in these 11 parameters across the samples and 70 % when Mg²⁺ was omitted. The more common R ², ranging from 29 to 92 %, averaged 68 % for these 11 parameters and 72 % when Mg²⁺ was omitted. Water quality improved most with forest coverage in stream watersheds. The strong associations between water quality variables and urban development indicated an urban source for these 11 water quality parameters at all eight sampling sites was likely, suggesting that urban stream syndrome can be detected even on a relatively small scale in a lightly developed area. Possible urban sources of Ca²⁺ and HCO $_{3}^-$ are suggested.