Do risk perceptions and constraints influence the adoption of climate change practices among small livestock herders in Punjab,Pakistan?

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Climate change is severely damaging the agricultural system of many food producing regions worldwide. Small/subsistent livestock herders are the most...     

Antibiotic effect of exogenously applied salicylic acid on in vitro soilborne pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum

Salicylic acid, which is biosynthesized inside plant and is often found and accumulated in soil due to plant debris decaying, is considered as a signaling substance during plant-microbe interactions. It is involved in the cycling of biogeochemistry and related to plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. The antibiotic effect of salicylic acid on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum (FON) was studied to investigate the relationships between the salicylic acid and the fungus in the ecological interaction of plant-microbe. Results showed that the biomass, colony diameter, number of conidium germination and conidium production of FON were decreased by 52.0%, 25.7%, 100% and 100% at concentrations of 800 mg L(-1). However, mycotoxin yield was increased by 233%, pectinase activity raised by 168.0% and cellulase activity increased by 1325% compared to control at higher concentrations. It was concluded that salicylic acid as an allelochemical greatly inhibited FON growth and conidia formation and germination, though stimulated mycotoxin production and activities of hydrolytic enzymes by FON.     

Bioaccumulation and public health implications of trace metals in edible tissues of the crustaceans <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scylla serrata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penaeus monodon</Emphasis> from the Tanzanian coast

The coastal population in East Africa is growing rapidly but sewage treatment and recycling facilities in major cities and towns are poorly developed. Since estuarine mangroves are the main hotspots for pollutants, there is a potential for contaminants to accumulate in edible fauna and threaten public health. This study analysed trace metals in muscle tissues of the giant mud crabs (Scylla serrata) and the giant tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) from the Tanzanian coast, in order to determine the extent of bioaccumulation and public health risks. A total of 180 samples of muscle tissues of S. serrata and 80 of P. monodon were collected from nine sites along the coast. Both species showed high levels of trace metals in the wet season and significant bioaccumulation of As, Cu and Zn. Due to their burrowing and feeding habits, mud crabs were more contaminated compared to tiger prawns sampled from the same sites. Apart from that, the measured levels of Cd, Cr and Pb did not exceed maximum limits for human consumption. Based on the current trend of fish consumption in Tanzania (7.7 kg/person/year), the measured elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn) are not likely to present health risks to shellfish consumers. Nevertheless, potential risks of As and Cu cannot be ruled out if the average per capita consumption is exceeded. This calls for strengthened waste management systems and pollution control measures.     

Indoor aerobiological pollution in certain indian domestic environments

The paper deals with bacterial and fungal populations and other pollutants in the indoors of slums, middle class, and upper class dwellings. Both allergenic and nonallergenic organisms have been observed to be higher in slums than in other dwellings. Further, females were more susceptible to various kinds of allergies than males.     

Synthesis,Characterization and NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>/N<Subscript>2</Subscript> Gas Permeation Study of Nanocomposite Membranes

Carbon nanotubes have exceptional mechanical properties which make them very attractive for the development of composite membranes. In this research, NH₃/N₂ gas permeation behavior of flat sheet composite membranes was examined. The cellulose acetate-multiwalled carbon nanotubes composite membranes were synthesized using solution casting method. The morphology and dispersion of carbon nanotubes were observed through SEM. However, the composite membranes were also characterized using several analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction analysis, tensile testing analysis, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Characterization of these membranes depicted that carboxylic group functionalized MWCNTs are extremely compatible with CA. The permeation experiments were performed with NH₃ and N₂ to explore the host–guest interaction of MWCNTs with chosen gases. The permeability of NH₃ was found pronounced compared to N₂. The NH₃/N₂ selectivity up to 90 was documented.     

The role of natural resources,globalization, and renewable energy in testing the EKC hypothesis in MINT countries: new evidence from Method of Moments Quantile Regression approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - We employ the new Method of Moments Quantile Regression approach to expose the role of natural resources, renewable energy, and globalization in...     

Non-linear relationship between tourism,economic growth,urbanization, and environmental degradation: evidence from smooth transition models

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The study aims to analyze two objectives: first is to explore the non-linear relationship between tourism development, economic growth, urbanization,...     

Exploring a new perspective of sustainable development drive through environmental Phillips curve in the case of the BRICST countries

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Considering that the rigor of economic activities has widely been linked with the turbulent nature of the increasing global atmospheric and...     

Assessing forest canopy closure in a geospatial medium to address management concerns for tropical islands—Southeast Asia

The present study outlines an approach to classify forest density and to estimate canopy closure of the forest of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The vector layers generated for the study area using satellite data was validated with the field knowledge of the surveyed ground control points. The methodology adopted in this present analysis is three-tiered. First, the density stratification into five zones using visual interpretation for the complete archipelago. In the second step, we identified two island groups from the Andaman to investigate and compare the forest strata density. The third and final step involved more of a localised phytosociological module that focused on the North Andaman Islands. The results based on the analysis of the high-resolution satellite data show that more than 75% of the mangroves are under high- to very high-density canopy class. The framework developed would serve as a significant measure to forest health and evaluate management concerns whilst addressing issues such as gap identification, conservation prioritisation and disaster management—principally to the post-tsunami assessment and analysis.