Linking human security to natural resources: perspective from a fishery resource allocation system in Chilika lagoon, India

Human security is linked to people’s access to natural resources and vulnerabilities to environmental change. In the case study of Chilika lagoon, the findings reveal that insecurity linked to natural resources is largely embedded in the historical process of resource allocation among stakeholders, rather than on the presence of resource stocks. The insecurities are strongly tied not only to allocation changes, but also to multiple factors (environmental, technological, and demographic factors). Based on the Chilika lagoon experience, this article develops a pathway toward a clear understanding of the linkage between human security and natural resources in a local context.     

A knowledge network to promote the use and valorization of wild food plants in the Pantanal and Cerrado,Brazil

Regional Environmental Change - The conservation and use of wild food plants should include local people in the decision-making process, and many countries have done so. However, interacting with...     

High-solids anaerobic mono-digestion of riverbank grass under thermophilic conditions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of high-solids anaerobic mono-digestion of riverbank grass under thermophilic conditions, focusing on the effects of the strength and the amount of inoculum. Ensiled grass was inoculated with three different inocula; inoculum from liquid anaerobic digester (LI), inoculum from dry anaerobic digester (DI), and mixture of LI and DI (MI), at feedstock-to-inoculum ratio (FIR) of 1, 2 and 4. The ensiling process of riverbank grass reduced moisture content (p > 0.05), while the hemicellulose content was significantly increased from 30.88% to 35.15% (p < 0.05), on dry matter basis. The highest methane production was at an FIR of 2 with MI (167 L/kg VS_added), which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than with DI, but not significant compared to LI (p > 0.05). At an FIR of 4, digesters inoculated with LI and DI failed to produce methane, whereas 135 L_CH4/kg VS_added was obtained with MI. The kinetic studies showed that at an FIR of 1 with LI and MI, the inoculum had less of effects on the hydrolysis rate constant (0.269 day^− 1 and 0.245 day^− 1) and methane production (135 versus 149 L/kg VS_added); rather, it affected the lag phase. In a thermophilic HS-AD of riverbank grass, the mixture of inoculum with low and high total solids content (TS) helps increase the TS of inoculum and digestion process. An FIR of 2 was deducted to be the limit for a better startup time and higher volumetric productivity of methane.     

Methane dehydroaromatization over Mo-modified H-MFI for gas to liquid catalysts

For direct gas to liquid (GTL),a novel process producing energy sources for methane dehydroaromatization is needed.Supporting MoO3 on H-MFI zeolite shows the high catalytic capacity and a selective activity for dehydroaromatization of methane to benzene at 973 K in a fixed bed reactor.On the other hand,deactivation by coke on the active sites in all the catalysts is formed during the reaction.H2 co-feed suppressed the deactivation,which is probably due to the decrease in coking amount.Mo K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) results showed the formation of dispersed Mo2C species with low crystallinity after dehydroaromatization.Mo L-edge XANES (X-ray absorption near-edge structure) indicated the formation of active Mo species including Mo2C and Mo-oxycarbide (MoOxCy),where the red-ox state should be independent in the absence/presence of H2.It is concluded that Mo-oxycarbide species act as highly active species,and their stability affected the durable activity in the presence of H2.     

Destruction of Chlorofluorocarbons in a Cement Kiln

Abstract

One of the thermal oxidation technologies recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is destruction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in a cement kiln. The destruction of CFC12, CFC11 and CFC113 was studied in a cement kiln plant in actual commercial operation. CFCs were completely destroyed in the kiln under normal operating conditions. Hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen chloride generated by CFC decomposition were absorbed by cement materials. No formation of toxic ha-logenated organic compounds, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins or dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs), was observed in the CFC incineration.     

A GIS-based evaluation of the effect of decontamination on effective doses due to long-term external exposures in Fukushima

Despite the enormous cost of radiation decontamination, there has been almost no quantitative discussion on how much it would reduce the long-term external radiation exposure in the Evacuation Zone and Planned Evacuation Zone (restricted zone) in Fukushima. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of decontamination and return options and to identify important parameters for estimating the long-term cumulated effective dose (CED) during 15, 30 and 70 year period using data on land-use, population and decontamination in the restricted zone (about 1100 km²) in Fukushima.     

对日本传统的农林景观Satoyama的参与性保护途径

日本的传统农业景观,即Satoyama,是森林、水稻田、草地和村庄的混合体.该景观支持着植物和动物种的巨大多样性,其中许多种类对日本文化是意义深长的.目前,在日本日益膨胀的城市地区中,Satoyama景观正被快速地转变为居民区或工业用地,也使许多物种在当地消失.横滨只有7%的土地还保留为Satoyama.在保护Satoyama样地的计划中,城市居民和老农户是关键的参与者.有许多城市居民一旦警觉到Satoyama景观所面临的威胁,他们就会重视这种参与农业和保护活动的经历.在一个特别成功的项目中,保护活动及资金筹措和"Totoro"(一个流行劝画片中的虚构森林动物角色)联系在一起.     

Analyses of limpet defense and predator offense in the field

Between November 1982 and August 1984 diving observations of two intertidal limpets' defensive behaviours in response to two predatory species were made near the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory of Kyoto University, in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, for over 800 h. The focus of the observations was a simple isolated rock, 0.9 m² in area with an inclination of 75°. The pulmonate homing limpet Siphonaria sirius responded by fleeing from its home in response to the whelk Thais clavigera and by calmping tightly to its home scar in response to the starfish Coscinasterias acutispina. Both behaviours were successful for avoiding predation. After a whelk moved far away, limpets returned to their homes. The patellid limpet Cellana toreuma showed mantle folding behaviour or fled for an average distance of 8 cm vertically upwards in response to the whelk and for an average distance of 21 cm vertically upwards in response to the starfish. The amount of time predators spent foraging increased in the low intertidal zone relative to the mid and high zones, and most predator attacks were observed during the limpets' resting periods (submersion in late afternoon or nighttime). The upward directional flight displayed by C. toreuma was related to the upward orientation of the limpets' heads when they are in a resting position. Half of the limpets observed fleeing downward away from a starfish, a movement elicited by a downward attack, received a second attack. These limpets were preyed upon at the second encounter 67% of the time. The upward fleeing behaviour of C. toreuma resulted in the shifting of its resting site higher up the study site where fewer attacks occurred and where the mortality rate was at its lowest. It is suggested that the homing behaviour of S. sirius and the upward fleeing behaviour of C. toreuma are mechanisms by means of which interspecific competition between limpets is reduced and coexistence on a small rock surface is maintained.     

Evaluation of a long-range lagrangian dispersion model with ETEX

Performance of a Lagrangian dispersion model was examined in connection with its dependency on the boundary layer modelling and the input data resolution. The European Tracer Experiment (ETEX) data were used as reference. According to the sensitivity analysis of the model performance, the long-range dispersion model with the sparse input data was not noticeably different from that with the finer resolution data. The assumption of the prescribed constant mixing depth did not largely degrade the prediction results as compared with the simulation results with the temporally changing boundary layer. It is, therefore, concluded that the model is practical, considering the limited input data in the operational mode. However, it was also pointed out that the parameterization for the horizontal and vertical diffusion processes used in the present model enhanced the growth of plume. The improvement of input data resolution in time and space caused further dispersion of tracer deterministically. These resulted in the underestimation of the maximum concentration and the unfocussed concentration distribution map although the mean concentration was predicted fairly well.