Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Tropical and Temperate Agriculture: The need for a Full-Cost accounting of Global Warming Potentials

Agriculture's contribution to radiative forcing is principally through its historical release of carbon in soil and vegetation to the atmosphere and through its contemporary release of nitrous oxide (N_2O) and methane (CHM₄). The sequestration of soil carbon in soils now depleted in soil organic matter is a well-known strategy for mitigating the buildup of CO₂ in the atmosphere. Less well-recognized are other mitigation potentials. A full-cost accounting of the effects of agriculture on greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to quantify the relative importance of all mitigation options. Such an analysis shows nitrogen fertilizer, agricultural liming, fuel use, N_2O emissions, and CH₄ fluxes to have additional significant potential for mitigation. By evaluating all sources in terms of their global warming potential it becomes possible to directly evaluate greenhouse policy options for agriculture. A comparison of temperate and tropical systems illustrates some of these options.     

环境规制条件下中国农业全要素生产率增长与分解

采用单元调查评估法对中国农业分省污染排放量进行核算的基础上,应用基于方向性距离函数的Malmquist-Luenberger生产率指数方法,对1978-2008年环境规制条件下省际农业TFP增长及其源泉进行实证分析,将农业增长、资源节约与环境保护纳入到一个统一框架.研究发现:①环境规制条件下农业TFP取得了一定增长,主要由前沿技术进步贡献,环境技术效率也存在一定程度的改善,在时间趋势上大致可以划分为6个阶段;②从资源、环境与增长的统筹兼顾来看,农业TFP及其增长模式地区差异明显,东部地区要优于西部地区,中部地区则可能处于失衡状态;③以三大直辖市为代表的东部省区和西部青海、贵州和宁夏等边远省份直接主导着“农业环境技术创新”;④是否考虑环境污染成本,对农业生产率核算会产生较大影响,并可能导致政策偏误.     

Formaldehyde in indoor air: Sources and toxicity

Formaldehyde, a highly reactive gas with a pungent odor, is released from a variety of sources including urea-formaldehyde foam insulation, particle board, and plywood, as well as various combustion processes. Concentrations of formaldehyde associated with the presence of these products are higher indoors than outdoors. Under controlled conditions, formaldehyde causes eye and nasal irritation at air concentrations of 0.24 mg/m³ and above. Exposure, residential or occupational, has been associated with eye, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, skin rashes, nausea, and other symptoms. Formaldehyde is also a sensitizer; Individuals who are allergic to formaldehyde, or who suffer from respiratory diseases, are likely to suffer the effects of formaldehyde at even lower concentrations. Based on its known metabolism, reactivity with DNA and other marcomolecules, as well as its mutagenic effects in many test systems, formaldehyde is thought to be genotoxic. Recent studies have indicated that formaldehyde is also a carcinogen in rats and probably in mice. Epidemiological studies to date have been inadequate to determine whether or not formaldehyde is a human carcinogen. Formaldehyde seems to be a direct acting carcinogen and it is likely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans.     

亚热带典型农林混合流域河流氮磷输出负荷特征及与景观格局关系

流域景观特征对流域河流氮(N)磷(P)迁移输出具有显著影响,但不同景观组成与配置与河流N、P输出负荷的关系有待进一步深入研究。以亚热带典型农林混合流域金井河流域为研究区域,基于长期水文、水质定位观测数据定量估算了河流N、P输出负荷。将景观指数分类结合传统统计分析筛选出的不同景观尺度的核心景观指数,采用冗余分析(RDA)和方差分解分析(VPA)明确不同尺度景观格局特征对于河流N、P输出负荷的影响关系。结果表明：流域丰水期、平枯水期N、P输出负荷呈显著时空差异,丰水期流域河流TN、NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N、TP、DIP输出负荷分别为2.61～9.03、0.34～5.34、1.26～5.03、0.15～0.50、0.09～0.23 kg/(hm².a);平枯水期分别为1.55～6.68、0.29～2.91、0.74～2.91、0.10～0.46、0.05～0.20 kg/(hm².a)。不同景观尺度水平及土地利用类型,景观特征对于N、P输出负荷的影响有所差异,...     

Sources and Framing of Fracking: A Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage in North Carolina,New York,and Pennsylvania

Research across several decades has mapped the way complex environmental issues with complicated policy implications are often differentially framed within the media, public, and policy agendas with major implications for how they are understood, discussed, and decided. Building on this work, this this study compared news coverage of the debate over natural gas “fracking” in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina between the period 2008 and 2013. Examining state newspapers, the analysis evaluated the types of sources used, the assertions of these sources, and how the issue of fracking was framed. From a general perspective, this study reveals how differences in framing of an environmental and scientific controversy can be attributed to the locally relevant sources used in reporting, as well as the political, economic, and social factors that might be unique to a state. Specific to the debate over natural gas “fracking,” this study adds to our understanding of how such state-based factors influence the portrayal of the issue in the news media.     

Sources and distributions of Cs, Pu, Pu radionuclides in the north-western Barents Sea

Sediment deposits are the ultimate sink for anthropogenic radionuclides entering the marine environment. The major sources of anthropogenic radionuclides to the Barents Sea are fallout from nuclear weapons tests, long range transport from other seas, and river and non-point freshwater supplies. In this study we investigated activity concentrations, ratios, and inventories of the anthropogenic radionuclides, ¹³⁷Cs, ²³⁸Pu, ^239,240Pu in dated sediment cores collected along a north-south transect in the northwestern Barents Sea. The data were used to evaluate the influence of different sources on the derived spatial and temporal patterns of anthropogenic radionuclides in seafloor sediment deposits. Activity concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs ranged from <0.1 Bq/kg to 10.5 Bq/kg while ^239,240Pu ranged from <0.01 Bq/kg to 2.74 Bq/kg and ²³⁸Pu activity concentrations ranged from <0.01 Bq/kg to 0.22 Bq/kg. Total inventories of ¹³⁷Cs ranged from 29.5 ± 1.5 Bq/m² to 152.7 ± 5.6 Bq/m² and for ^239,240Pu inventories (6 sediment layers only) ranged from 9.5 ± 0.3 Bq/m² to 29.7 ± 0.4 Bq/m². Source contributions varied among stations and between the investigated radionuclides. The ²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu ratios up to 0.18 indicate discharges from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants as a main contributor of plutonium. Based on ²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu ratio, it was calculated that up to 19-27% of plutonium is supplied from sources other than atmospheric global fallout. Taking into account Atlantic current flow trajectories and that both activity concentrations and inventories of plutonium negatively correlate with latitude, Sellafield is a major source for the Barents Sea. Concentrations and inventories of ¹³⁷Cs correlate positively with latitude and negatively with distance from the Svalbard archipelago. The ¹³⁷Cs concentrations are highest in an area of intensive melting of sea ice formed along the Siberian coast. Thus, sea ice and supplies from Svalbard may be important source of ¹³⁷Cs to the Barents Sea seafloor.     

禀赋特征、外部性与农业生产集聚:基于全国31省的证据

在农业资源不断匮乏背景下,我国农业表现出生产集聚现象,从集聚效应视角看,农业生产集聚的形成是资源禀赋、外部性因素互相作用的结果。本文系统梳理了资源禀赋特征、外部性条件与农业生产集聚之间内在机制,并利用我国1996~2015年31省20年面板数据,通过固定效应模型和系统广义矩估计等多种研究方法进行验证,通过理论分析和回归分析发现：（1）农业资源禀赋中农业劳动力、农业资本存量、农业技术水平和耕地资源对生产集聚水平的提高具有显著的促进作用。而外部性条件中自然灾害和地形对农业生产集聚水平具有显著的制约作用。（2）从影响趋势上来看,农业耕地数量、农业技术水平对农业生产集聚水平的影响表现出“U”型发展趋势,而农业劳动力数量和农业资本存量表现出倒“U”型发现趋势。     

南四湖表层沉积物中PAHs的分布、来源及变化分析

采集南四湖4个湖区及入湖支流的9个站位的表层沉积物样品,利用气相色谱-质谱方法对样品中的16种多环芳烃(PAHs)进行了分析测定,结合已有文献对南四湖的PAHs浓度变化进行了对比分析。结果表明,南四湖表层沉积物中PAHs总含量范围在20.1-929.2 ng/g.在四个湖区中,分别位于独山湖和微山湖的表层沉积物中PAHs总含量远低于其他采样点位,采于昭阳湖的样品的PAHs含量最高,说明PAHs浓度的分布为湖区中部含量最高,湖区南北部相对较低。通过PAHs的环数丰度判断,南四湖中PAHs的主要来源为化石燃料的燃烧。入湖河流引入的工业污染对PAHs的含量有着正相关影响,对PAHs贡献较大的行业包括食品、造纸、化工等重污染行业和煤炭采矿企业。对比2002年的相关研究可知,总体而言2008年PAHs的总含量较之2002年呈减少趋势。这在一定程度上可以说明,近年来山东省在南水北调沿线区域实行水质排放新标准等一系列措施后,南四湖周围工业企业的污染处理技术措施有所改进,重污染企业被关停并转,使得南四湖PAHs的污染状况得到改善。此外,对比分析也表明结构复杂的PAHs含量有所增高,具体原因还需要进一步的研究。     

Explaining Agricultural Expansion, Resource Booms and Growth in Latin America

The following paper examines the main factors determining long-run agricultural land expansion in Latin America compared to other tropical regions. Given the importance of natural resource-based sectors for most economies in Latin America, the impact of price-induced "resource booms" on economic growth in the region is explored. In addition, the paper examines whether there is an inherent "boom and bust" pattern of economic development associated with agricultural land expansion in Latin America, and the extent to which economic policies in the region exacerbate this problem. The paper concludes by examining the role of targeted policies in alleviating the structural obstacles to Latin American agricultural and economic development.     

Agricultural productivity and environmental insecurity in the Usangu plain, Tanzania: policy implications for sustainability of agriculture

Sustainable agricultural development is a necessity for sustainable economic growth and social development in Africa. Sustainable agriculture largely depends on how effective natural and environmental resources are managed and utilized; it also depends on the security of continuous access to such resources. This research was aimed to look into trends in agricultural productivity, examine the persistence of the environmental insecurity, analyze the relationship between the two, and explore their links to the national development policies. The results are discussed in the context of relevance to national development policies and their implications on the sustainability of agriculture and rural livelihoods security. Literature survey, records collection from the stakeholders, village level participatory assessments (PAs), observations and questionnaire survey were tools used for data collection. The study shows significant (P < 0.01) declines in cereal crop yields, cattle milk yield and cattle calving rate, and increasing cattle mortality rate. Elements of environmental insecurity were found to account for decline in agricultural productivity; significant (P < 0.01) proportion (68%), of 266 households interviewed, reported land resources deterioration, declining soil fertility, and increasing drought frequencies as the causes of their low productivity. Declined fertilizer consumption and increasing variability in rainfall amount significantly (P < 0.01) accounted for 59% and 39%, respectively, of the variations observed in total annual production of rice and maize, which are major cereals in the study area. This study recommends measures to improve soil productivity such as improved fertilizer application and use of organic manures along with mineral fertilizers for maintaining soil productivity; education of farmers on sustainable use and management of land resources; and pro-poor rural policies in agricultural development and environmental governance. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

Monitoring a Recent Delta Formation in a Tropical Coastal Wetland Using Remote Sensing and GIS. Case Study: Guapo River Delta, Laguna de Tacarigua, Venezuela

The integrated use of remotely sensed data and GIS to monitor a rapid recent delta formation was undertaken in the Tacarigua Lagoon, a mangrove coastal protected wetland in the north-central coast of Venezuela. Recently, the resource value of coastal wetlands such as coastal lagoons and deltas, has brought about a need to protect and conserve these ecosystems. To that end, valuable resources such as these should be continuously monitored so that temporal changes in their environment can be analysed. The importance of determining the cause, extent, and spatial distribution of these changes can then be used in different aspects of environmental studies, land suitability analyses and for wise resource management. Aerospace data interpretation and a field survey were utilised to study the formation of the Guapo River delta within the Tacarigua Lagoon and to map the expansion that this depositional environment has undergone. A historical set of aerial photographs and a radar image, together with a GIS, were used to assess the growth of the delta from the beginning of its formation up to the present time.     

Organic micropollutants in coastal waters from NW Mediterranean Sea: Sources distribution and potential risk

This study provides a first estimation on the sources, distribution and risk of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in coastal waters from NW Mediterranean Sea. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, phthalates and alkylphenols were analyzed by solid phase extraction and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (SPE–GC–EI-MS/MS). River waters and wastewater treatment plant effluents discharging to the sea were identified as the main sources of OMPs to coastal waters, with an estimated input amount of around of 25,800 g d^− 1. The concentration of ΣOMPs in coastal areas ranged from 17.4 to 8442 ng L^− 1, and was the highest in port waters, followed by coastal and river mouth seawaters. A summarized overview of the patterns and sources of OMP contamination on the investigated coastal sea waters of NW Mediterranean Sea, as well as of their geographical distribution was obtained by Principal Component Analysis of the complete data set after its adequate pretreatment. Alkylphenols, bisphenol A and phthalates were the main contributors to ΣOMPs and produced an estimated significant pollution risk for fish, algae and the sensitive mysid shrimp organisms in seawater samples. The combination of GC-MS/MS, chemometrics and risk analysis is proven to be useful for a better control and management of OMP discharges.     

Sources and human exposure implications of concentrations of organophosphate flame retardants in dust from UK cars,classrooms, living rooms,and offices

Concentrations of a number of organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) were measured in floor dust collected from UK living rooms (n = 32), cars (n = 21), school and child daycare centre classrooms (n = 28), and offices (n = 61). While concentrations were overall broadly within the range of those reported previously for North America, Japan, and other European countries, median concentrations of TCIPP in all UK microenvironments exceeded those reported elsewhere in the world. Moreover, concentrations of TCIPP and TDCIPP in 2 UK car dust samples were – at 370 μg g^− 1 and 740 μg g^− 1 respectively – amongst the highest reported globally in indoor dust to date. Consistent with this, concentrations of TDCIPP in dust from UK cars exceed significantly those detected in the other microenvironments studied. Concentrations of EHDPP were shown for the first time to be significantly higher in classroom dust than in samples from other microenvironments. When compared to concentrations of PBDEs determined previously in the classroom dust samples; concentrations of all target PFRs exceeded substantially those of those PBDEs that are the principal constituents of the Penta- and Octa-BDE formulations. Moreover, while mass-based concentrations of BDE-209 exceeded those of most of our target PFRs, they still fell below those of TCIPP and EHDPP. In line with a previous observation in Sweden that indoor air contamination with TNBP was significantly lower in newer buildings; concentrations of TNBP in classroom dust were significantly higher in older compared to more recently-constructed schools. Consistent with the reported extensive use of TCIPP and TDCIPP in polyurethane foam, the highest concentrations of both TCIPP and TDCIPP in the classrooms studied, were observed in rooms containing the highest numbers of foam chairs (n = 31 and 18 respectively). Exposure to PFRs of both adults and young children via ingestion of indoor dust was estimated. While even our high-end exposure estimate for young children was ~ 100 times lower than one previously reported health-based limit (HBLV) value for TCIPP; the margin of safety was only 5-fold when compared to another HBLV for this contaminant.     

公平性感知、信任与农业环境保护 ——不确定情形下农户行为选择

为深入理解农业环境政策从制定到落实的内在逻辑，从农户的公平性感知和信任出发，在农业环境保护的不确定情形下，探索性地构建农户农业环境保护行为响应理论分析框架，并基于山东、山西和陕西3省微观农户调查数据，采用路径分析、贝叶斯非线性结构方程模型和斜率分析等方法进行验证。结果表明：（1）农户农业环境保护的公平性感知对农业环境保护行为有直接和间接影响。直接影响为公平性感知越高，越能显著促进农户农业环境保护行为；间接影响为公平性感知通过提高信任进而作用于行为。（2）农业环境保护的不确定性显著阻碍了农户农业环境保护行为，且显著干扰了公平性感知向行为的转化。据此提出，农业环境保护政策的制定应考虑农户公平性感知和信任，传统命令型农业环境政策应逐步向农户参与型政策让渡；对农业环境定期检测并给予农户反馈，在降低政府长期监管成本的同时，也减少了农户农业环境保护的不确定性，从而推进农业环境保护政策的有效落实。     

Distribution of gamma-ray emitting radionuclides in the environment of Burullus Lake: I. Soils and vegetations

The concentrations and distribution of gamma-ray emitting isotopes in Burullus Lake were investigated with the aim of evaluating the environmental radioactivity. Particularly in wetlands, natural properties of the environment can cause the actual inventory to be different from the activity originally deposited. The mean concentrations of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K were 14.3, 15.5 and 224 Bq/kg, respectively, in the coastal soils. On the other hand, soil samples from the islands had mean concentrations of 13.5, 17.4 and 341 Bq/kg for (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K, respectively. Samples from coast and islands show evidence of possible transfer and accumulation of the (137)Cs radionuclide. The mean (137)Cs activity concentrations in the soil samples were 1.2 and 15.1 Bq/kg in the coast and islands, respectively. The vertical migration of (137)Cs was studied based on its content in the consequently located three soil layers down to 30 cm depth. The radium equivalent, dose rate in air and annual dose equivalent from the terrestrial natural gamma-radiation were evaluated. The mean activity concentrations of the gamma-ray emitting radionuclides in vegetation were relatively low.     

Sources of hydrocarbons in sediments of the Mandovi estuary and the Marmugoa harbour, west coast of India

Surface sediments were collected from various locations of the Mandovi estuary and the Marmugoa harbour. Sediments were analysed for organic carbon (OC), total lipids, n-alkanes concentration and composition. Concentrations of OC, total lipids and n-alkanes varied spatially and ranged from 1 to 2.5%, 176 to 1413 microg/g dry weight (dw) sediments, and 0.8 to 3.2 microg/g dw sediments of the Mandovi estuary, respectively; and from 0.6 to 2.9%, 233 to 1448 microg/g dw sediments, and 1.6 to 10.7 microg/g dw sediments in the Marmugoa harbour, respectively. Long chain, odd carbon n-alkanes (C(23)-C(33)) in the Mandovi estuary, whereas short chain, even carbon n-alkanes (C(11)-C(21)) in the Marmugoa harbour sediments were more abundant. The total HC concentrations, n-alkane composition, CPI, UCM and other evaluation indices suggest the dominance of terrestrial hydrocarbons in the estuarine while petroleum derived hydrocarbons in the harbour sediments. This conclusion was further supported by the abundance of hopanes with C(29) to C(34) alpha, beta compounds and steranes with C(27), C(28) and C(29) compounds in the harbour sediments.     

转型期中国农业生产率增长的分解、变迁与分布

转型期中国农业取得了长足进步,这其中生产率增长扮演了什么角色?研究这一问题对于未来中国农业可持续发展和增长方式的转变具有重要意义.论文使用非参数的数据包络分析方法,对1978-2005年间中国农业全要素生产率增长及其分解的时间变迁和省区分布模式进行实证考察.整个实证表明,转型期中国农业全要素生产率增长较为显著.从其内部构成来看,这一增长主要由前沿技术进步贡献,效率改善的作用相对有限.从时间变迁模式来看,大致可以将其分为五个阶段,其对农业增长的贡献基本是顺周期的.不过从其空间分布模式来看,各省区间的生产率增长差异非常明显.论文最终认为,中国完整的农业科学研究体系在农业R&D方面取得了成功,但整个农业技术推广体系在前沿农业技术的适应性改良、扩散方面并不怎么成功,未来中国农业理想的集约型增长模式应该是技术进步与效率改善并存的"双驱动"模式.     

Agricultural adjustment,population dynamics and forests redistribution in a subtropical watershed of NW Argentina

Patterns of land-use and land-cover change are usually grouped into one of two categories defined by the dominant trend: (1) deforestation resulting from expanding agriculture and (2) forest expansion, usually related to the abandonment of marginal lands. At regional scale, however, both processes can occur simultaneously even in the absence of net change. Given the focus on net change, such redistribution of agricultural and natural and seminatural lands has been generally overlooked. The interaction between agriculture modernization, human demography and complex topographic gradients of northwestern Argentina has resulted in processes of both forest recovery and deforestation, thus providing the opportunity to analyze patterns and driving forces of land-cover redistribution. We analyzed 20 years (1986–2006) of land-cover change in a subtropical watershed in relation to topographic and demographic variables. Although net forest change represented <1 %, forests redistribution affected 7 % of forest lands. There was a consistent geographic segregation of deforestation and forest recovery, with forests expanding over steep highlands and agriculture expanding over lowland irrigated areas. Population trends were not associated to forest expansion in lowlands but they explained 32 % of forest recovery in highlands. Highland forest expansion and lowland deforestation, respectively, imply conservation opportunities for humid montane forests and the environmental services they provide (e.g., watershed conservation) and threats for the conservation of dry forests and its biodiversity. Our study exemplifies the importance of land-use redistribution (rather than net change) with relevant environmental consequences at regional scale.     

Nitrogen cycling in a hypothetical scenario of generalised organic agriculture in the Seine,Somme and Scheldt watersheds

Nitrogen contamination of ground and surface water in the Seine, Somme and Scheldt watersheds, as well as in the receiving coastal marine zones, results in severe ecological problems. Previous modelling results showed that the implementation of classical management measures involving improvement of wastewater purification and “good agricultural practices” are not sufficient to obviate these problems. A more radical scenario was therefore established, consisting of a generalised shift to organic agriculture of all agricultural areas in the three basins, with the additional constraints that livestock is fed only on local fodder production. This scenario involves an increased livestock density in the Seine and Somme and a decrease in livestock in the Scheldt basin. It leads to a significant reduction of agricultural production that finally brings the three basins closer to autotrophy/heterotrophy equilibrium. Nitrate concentrations in most of the drainage network would drop below the threshold of 2.25 mgN/l in the most optimistic hypothesis. The excess of nitrogen over silica (with respect to the requirements of marine diatoms) delivered into the coastal zones would be decreased by a factor from 2 to 5, thus strongly reducing, but not entirely eliminating the potential for marine eutrophication.