Potential of microalgae as biopesticides to contribute to sustainable agriculture and environmental development

The loss of yields from agricultural production due to the presence of pests has been treated over the years with synthetic pesticides, but the use of these substances negatively affects the environment and presents health risks for consumers and animals. The development of agroecological systems using biopesticides represents a safe alternative that contributes to the reduction of agrochemical use and sustainable agriculture. Microalgae are able to biosynthesize a number of metabolites with potential biopesticidal action and can be considered potential biological agents for the control of harmful organisms to soils and plants. The present work aims to provide a critical perspective on the consequences of using synthetic pesticides, offering as an alternative the biopesticides obtained from microalgal biomass, which can be used together with the implementation of environmentally friendly agricultural systems.     

Impact of posture and upper-limb muscle activity on grip strength

Purpose. The current research was carried out to determine grip strength (GS) with change in posture and upper-limb muscle activity of manual workers and investigate the impacts of these changes. Methods. For the current research, 120 male and 80 female participants were selected and GS was assessed using a digital hand grip dynamometer in various conditions. Results. The outcomes showed that male participants had higher GS as compared to female participants. Maximum GS was found in a standing posture with the fixed forward shoulder at 45°, elbow at 90° and a neutral position of the wrist and forearm for all participants. Conclusions. Higher values of GS were attained in standing postures which may result in attainment of higher performance levels by the workers. The outcomes justify the importance of correct postures during manual work in industries employing traditional methods.     

Traditional agriculture in transition: examining the impacts of agricultural modernization on smallholder farming in Ghana under the new Green Revolution

Following the renewed effort at achieving a new green revolution for Africa, emphasis has been placed on modernizing smallholder agriculture through the deployment of improved inputs especially mechanized technologies. In Ghana, the government has in the last decade emphasized the provision of subsidized mechanized ploughing services to farmers alongside a rapidly growing private sector tractor service market. While mechanized technology adoption rates have increased rapidly, the deployment of these technologies has been without critical analysis of the impacts on production patterns and local agrarian systems. This paper examines the distributional impacts of agriculture mechanization on cropping patterns and farm sizes of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, and semi-structured interviews with smallholder farmers (n=60). Specifically, comparative analysis of the field sizes and cropping patterns of participant farmers prior to and after the adoption of mechanized technologies was conducted. In-depth interviews were used to contextualize the experiences of smallholder farmers toward understanding how mechanization may be impacting traditional agriculture. Our findings reveal a mechanization paradox in which farm sizes are expanding, while cropping patterns are shifting away from traditional staple crops (pearl millet and sorghum bicolor) to market-oriented crops (maize, rice and groundnuts). This transition we argue, has adverse implications on the cultural dimension of food security, the organization of social life, and climate change adaptation. We recommend a retooling of the current agricultural policy focus to ensure context sensitivity for a more robust battle against food insecurity.     

城市大气中挥发性有机化合物监测技术进展

挥发性有机物(VOCs)是臭氧及二次有机颗粒物(SOA)的主要前体物。近年来,我国逐步将VOCs纳入大气污染物控制体系。准确可靠的监测技术是大气VOCs研究及控制的重要前提保障。按照采样方法、分析方法 2个方面介绍并讨论了城市大气中VOCs的现有监测方法,较为详细地介绍了几类广泛采用的离线及在线监测技术,简要讨论了目前VOCs监测中存在的一些问题,展望了今后的发展趋势。     

利用3S技术动态监测天山草地农业产量及其成因分析

在新疆阜康县大量“天地”资料观测基础上，利用3S(RS、GIS和GPS)技术和生态系统分析方法，对新疆天山草地农业资源进行了系统的动态监测和大面积估产研究。结果表明，该县草地和森林面积1998年比1988年分别下降了17．5％和51．o％，而农业用地面积和沙漠危害面积却分别增加了57．8％和21．2％，实现了利用3s技术系统准确监测新疆阜康县草地农业资源动态变化，其大面积草地遥感估产精度达到75．8％以上。最后，建立了新型PPR估产模型，其估产精度达到81．76％以上，并给出了理论生态成因解释与定量分析结果等。     

The Impact of Agriculture On Dissolved Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling in Temperate Ecosystems

Although most research has focussed on inorganic nutrient forms of nitrate (NO^-₃) and phosphorus (PO³₄) in runoff and receiving waters, nitrogen loss from agricultural land can also occur in organic and ammonium-nitrogen form; phosphorus losses, although often dominated by particulate transport, may occur in soluble organic and inorganic form. Furthermore, fluxes between different species may take place during transport from the land to the stream and as a result of in-stream, in-river or in-lake transformations. Knowledge of the spatial and temporal variation in all nitrogen species and phosphorus fractions in a drainage basin is therefore essential if the wider environmental significance of elevated nutrient concentrations in natural waters are to be assessed. This paper reviews recent work on N and P losses from agricultural land and presents some results from two intensive agricultural catchments: Slapton, Devon and the river Windrush catchment in the Cotswolds.     

废水产氢产酸/同型产乙酸耦合产酸条件优化

为了更好地发挥产氢产酸/同型产乙酸耦合系统在废水厌氧发酵生产乙酸方面的优势,有必要寻找一种简单有效的方法以获得该系统产酸的优化条件.利用经过加热处理并活化的厌氧污泥作种泥,以模拟废水中的葡萄糖为底物,针对发酵时间、底物浓度、种泥浓度、初始pH进行4因素10水平均匀设计实验,得到了乙酸生产指标与产酸条件之间关系的回归方程;也得到了以高乙酸产量为主要目标导向同时兼顾高乙酸产率和高乙酸生产强度目标的优化条件;优化条件实验乙酸浓度比均匀设计中最高乙酸浓度提高20%左右.研究表明,将均匀设计应用于废水产氢产酸/同型产乙酸耦合产酸条件优化,可以避免盲目性,迅速获得满意结果.     

Structural Adjustment of Oasis Agriculture in Xinjiang

As a special basic economic region in China, Xinjiang is situated in the arid area in the Northwest China. Oasis agriculture is the basis of the national economy. The development of oasis agriculture helps to accelerate the development of economy, social and environment. After 50 years of practice, from 1949 to 2002, oasis agriculture in Xinjiang enhanced rapidly the scale of agricultural industry and had great changes in its structure. The amount of cultivated area rose from 120.97*102 ha t…     

长春秋季生物质燃烧对PM2.5中WSOC吸光性的影响

为探究长春秋季生物质燃烧对PM_(2.5)中水溶性有机碳(water-soluble organic carbon,WSOC)吸光性的影响,于2017年10～11月进行PM_(2.5)样品采集,对PM_(2.5)中碳质组分、糖类化合物和WSOC的光吸收特征参数进行分析.研究表明:长春秋季PM_(2.5)中WSOC、有机碳(organic carbon,OC)、元素碳(elemental carbon,EC)的平均浓度分别为(10.12±3.47)、(17.07±5.64)和(1.34±0.75)μg·m~(-3),二次有机碳(secondary organic carbon,SOC)对OC的平均贡献率为38.93%.长春秋季总糖浓度为(1 049.39±958.85)ng·m~(-3),其中作为生物质燃烧示踪剂的脱水糖含量(左旋葡聚糖、半乳聚糖和甘露聚糖)在总糖中占比为91.69%,糖类相关性分析结果显示生物质燃烧源为长春秋季大气中糖类物质的主要贡献源.糖类物质的相关性分析及3种脱水糖的特征比值研究显示,作为长春秋季大气主要污染源的生物质燃烧的类型是硬木和作物残渣的燃烧.长春秋季WSOC的光吸收波长指数(AAE)为5.75±1.06,单位质量吸收效率(MAE)为(1.23±0.28)m~2·g~(-1),表明生物质燃烧对WSOC吸光性具有重要影响.利用生物质燃烧特征源参数量化计算生物质燃烧对WSOC浓度的贡献达58.82%,对总WSOC光吸收的贡献达40.92%.