Typical patterns of smallholder vulnerability to weather extremes with regard to food security in the Peruvian Altiplano

Smallholder livelihoods in the Peruvian Altiplano are frequently threatened by weather extremes, including droughts, frosts and heavy rainfall. Given the persistence of significant undernourishment despite regional development efforts, we propose a cluster approach to evaluate smallholders’ vulnerability to weather extremes with regard to food security. We applied this approach to 268 smallholder households using information from two existing regional assessments and from our own household survey. The cluster analysis revealed four vulnerability patterns that depict typical combinations of household attributes, including their harvest failure risk, agricultural resources, education level and non-agricultural income. We validated the identified vulnerability patterns by demonstrating the correlation between them and an independently reported damage: the purchase of food and fodder resulting from exposure to weather extremes. The vulnerability patterns were then ranked according to the different amounts of purchase. A second validation aspect accounted for independently reported mechanisms explaining smallholders’ sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Based on the similarities among the households, our study contributes to the understanding of vulnerability beyond individual cases. In particular, the validation strengthens the credibility and suitability of our findings for decision-making pertaining to the reduction of vulnerability.     

The ecological relevance of current approaches for environmental protection from exposure to ionising radiation

This paper discusses the current approaches to environmental protection from ionising radiation from an ecological perspective, highlighting the need to understand fully what we are trying to protect. Ecologically relevant endpoints for environmental protection are discussed along with the need to integrate protection from ionising radiation with the approaches adopted for non-radioactive contaminants. A possible integrated assessment approach is outlined.     

Simultaneous biological removal of endosulfan (alpha+beta) and nitrates from drinking waters using wheat straw as substrate

Nitrate and endosulfan (alpha+beta) removal was studied in an upflow biological denitrification reactor packed with wheat straw as carbon source and support particles for microorganisms. While almost complete nitrate elimination and between 65% and 70% endosulfan (alpha+beta) elimination occurred when the temperature was higher than 20 degrees C; below that value, nitrate removal efficiency decreased to about 10%. Nitrate, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and endosulfan (alpha+beta) removal efficiencies decreased considerably at 1500 microg/l endosulfan concentration in the batch experiments. Although a high removal efficiency was observed for endosulfan (alpha+beta) and nitrate in the biological denitrification continuous reactor, the effluent water could not be used for drinking purpose because of the unacceptable levels of endosulfan (alpha+beta), colour and dissolved organic content. During the continuous study, 23.4% of the initial weight of wheat straw was lost and 24 g was consumed per gram of nitrogen removed. The results of the continuous study showed that 21.3% of the endosulfan removal was achieved by adsorption onto the wheat straw and 68.2% of the endosulfan removal occurred by biological activity and the remaining portion was detected in the effluent water.     

Rural women and agrotourism in the context of sustainable rural development: A case study from Turkey

As in many developing countries also in Turkey, agriculture is on the center of rural development and rural women are on the center of agriculture. Although they are main part as a major labor force at every stage of agricultural activity and undertake responsibilities such as domestic task and childcare, women do not profit from social and economic benefits proportionate to the responsibilities they have undertaken. Agrotourism is an alternative activity in the rural development process, which combines agriculture and tourism, improves natural resources, contributes the rural area socially and economically. The aim of this study is to examine the participation conditions of rural women to the agrotourism activities, which is considered as an option in the context of sustainable rural development, and to identify the possible social and economic implications of agrotourism on the rural women’s life, after determining the situation and importance of rural women in the agricultural activity. This research was carried out in three villages of Kalecik district of Ankara and data gathered from group meetings and surveys.     

Nutritionally relevant elements in staple foods: influence of arable site versus choice of variety

Eighteen representative sites for the Austrian grain-growing and eight for the potato-growing zones (soils and crops) were investigated. On each site, total element contents (B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Sr and Zn) were determined in 4–12 varieties of winter wheat (n = 136), 6 varieties of spring durum wheat (n = 30), 5 varieties of winter durum wheat (n = 15), 7 varieties of rye (n = 49), 5 varieties of spring barley (n = 30) and 5 varieties of potatoes (n = 40). Element accumulations in grain species and potato tubers varied significantly with site conditions, with the main exceptions for B in potatoes and wheat as well as for Zn, Cu and Co in durum wheat. On average, across all investigated sites, differences in varieties occurred concerning the elements Ca, Cd, Ba, Sr and Zn (except Zn in potatoes and winter durum). A rough estimation revealed that an average Austrian consumer of wheat, rye and potatoes meets more than 50% of the needs of daily element intake for K, P and Mg, between 36 and 72% for Fe, Zn and Cu, and more than 100% for Co, Mo and Mn. In particular, the elements Ca and Na have to be added from other sources.     

Chemical Changes in Sediment Pore-Waters of an Acidic Mining Lake After Addition of Organic Substrate and Lime for Stimulating Lake Remediation

In the past five years, enclosures have beeninstalled in an acidic mining lake in Lusatia to investigate insitu remediation processes. They were treated with straw, withstraw and Carbokalk, or with Carbokalk alone, where Carbokalkis a by-product of the sugar industry (solid precipitate ofnon-sugars after lime clarification of extracted sugar beetjuice). Sediment samples were taken as cores to get informationabout the behaviour of organic and inorganic components insediment pore-water with depth. Vertical distributions of pH,soluble reactive phosphate, nitrate, ammonium, silica,aluminium, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, sodium,potassium, sulphate, and DOC were measured. The resultingprofiles, each consisting of 15 data points at differentdepths, were compared by cluster analysis. The similarities ofsediment cores from different treated enclosures relating toprofiles of chemical components were discussed. Increasedconcentrations of potassium and sulphate were found in pore-water after substrate treatment. The data imply dissolution ofpotassium iron sulphate hydroxide minerals (jarosite) after anincrease of pH caused by dissolution of lime and by sulphatereducing processes which were stimulated by organic substrateaddition.     

Industrial Tailings in Traunsee (Austria) Revisited: The Status of 1999

Alkaline tailings from a salt work and a soda plant have been pumped into the southernmost part of Traunsee at Ebensee for many decades. A survey in 1981 showed an accumulation of more than 3 × 10⁶ m³ alkaline mud in the Bay of Ebensee and the existence of slumping structures and turbidites in the profundal zone of the lake. A new survey of the industrial tailings has been performed in 1999. Compared to the earlier survey, the accumulation in the Bay of Ebensee has grown to >4 × 10⁶ m³, which suggests an average yearly input of 90 000 m³. Slumping structures and turbidites document the unstable situation of the tailings near the waste inlet. The lake area occasionally affected by the turbidity currents in the profundal zone has increased to 19%. Within the central profundal area these tailings reach <1 m in thickness.