A macroeconomic analysis of adaptation to climate change impacts on forests in India

We examine the potential for adaptation to climate change in Indian forests, and derive the macroeconomic implications of forest impacts and adaptation in India. The study is conducted by integrating results from the dynamic global vegetation model IBIS and the computable general equilibrium model GRACE-IN, which estimates macroeconomic implications for six zones of India. By comparing a reference scenario without climate change with a climate impact scenario based on the IPCC A2-scenario, we find major variations in the pattern of change across zones. Biomass stock increases in all zones but the Central zone. The increase in biomass growth is smaller, and declines in one more zone, South zone, despite higher stock. In the four zones with increases in biomass growth, harvest increases by only approximately 1/3 of the change in biomass growth. This is due to two market effects of increased biomass growth. One is that an increase in biomass growth encourages more harvest given other things being equal. The other is that more harvest leads to higher supply of timber, which lowers market prices. As a result, also the rent on forested land decreases. The lower prices and rent discourage more harvest even though they may induce higher demand, which increases the pressure on harvest. In a less perfect world than the model describes these two effects may contribute to an increase in the risk of deforestation because of higher biomass growth. Furthermore, higher harvest demands more labor and capital input in the forestry sector. Given total supply of labor and capital, this increases the cost of production in all the other sectors, although very little indeed. Forestry dependent communities with declining biomass growth may, however, experience local unemployment as a result.     

Longevity,calling effort,and metabolic rate in two populations of cricket

Intraspecific variation in a resting metabolic rate (RMR) is likely to be an important determinant of energetic-resource use and may influence the resources subsequently available for allocation to traits not directly associated with somatic maintenance. The influence of RMR on resource availability could be especially important for condition-dependent sexual traits, such as cricket calls, that are themselves energetically costly to produce. RMR may also be associated with longevity, either negatively because individuals with a high RMR burn resources faster and die young, or positively as individuals with high RMR are more able to accrue resources to fuel survival. Additionally, the associations between RMR and other characters may vary across populations if differential selection or drift shapes these traits. Here we tested for differences in RMR, body mass, calling effort, and longevity in two populations of cricket Gryllodes sigillatus and then evaluated the potential influence of RMR on calling and longevity. We find that RMR, calling effort, and longevity varied across populations, but mass did not. Controlling for population and mass, RMR was not significantly associated with calling effort, but was negatively associated with longevity. These findings suggest that male crickets that live fast die young.     

Effect of land use land cover change on soil erosion potential in an agricultural watershed

Universal soil loss equation (USLE) was used in conjunction with a geographic information system to determine the influence of land use and land cover change (LUCC) on soil erosion potential of a reservoir catchment during the period 1989 to 2004. Results showed that the mean soil erosion potential of the watershed was increased slightly from 12.11 t ha^???1 year^???1 in the year 1989 to 13.21 t ha^???1 year^???1 in the year 2004. Spatial analysis revealed that the disappearance of forest patches from relatively flat areas, increased in wasteland in steep slope, and intensification of cultivation practice in relatively more erosion-prone soil were the main factors contributing toward the increased soil erosion potential of the watershed during the study period. Results indicated that transition of other land use land cover (LUC) categories to cropland was the most detrimental to watershed in terms of soil loss while forest acted as the most effective barrier to soil loss. A p value of 0.5503 obtained for two-tailed paired t test between the mean erosion potential of microwatersheds in 1989 and 2004 also indicated towards a moderate change in soil erosion potential of the watershed over the studied period. This study revealed that the spatial location of LUC parcels with respect to terrain and associated soil properties should be an important consideration in soil erosion assessment process.     

Degradation of synthetic dyes using nanoparticles: a mini-review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The industrial revolution has marked a strong impact on financial upgradation of several countries, and increase in the industrial establishment...     

Experimental study and comparative analysis of modified solar paraboloidal dish–thermoelectric generator systems

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Solar energy is one of the major sources of renewable energy which contributes for environmental protection and pollution reduction. Methods and...     

Innovative application of facile single pot green synthesized CuO and CuO@APTES nanoparticles in nanopriming of Vigna radiata seeds

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nanopriming is an emerging field of science which uses nanoparticles in solution to improve parameters of seed vigor. This leads to an initial...     

Bisphenols promote the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes without damaging cell membrane

Environmental Chemistry Letters - The global dissemination of antibiotic resistance is severely threatening public health. Several non-antibiotic chemicals facilitate the horizontal transfer of...     

Self-healing concrete for sustainable buildings. A review

Environmental Chemistry Letters - A total of 12 billion tons of concrete materials are produced annually, about 2 tons per person. More sustainable buildings are thus needed to decrease the carbon...