Evaluation of composted sewage sludge as nutritional source for horticultural soils

Water deficit and soil degradation have become some of the major problems for crop production in semi-arid regions, as it is the South East of Spain. As a matter of fact, considerable productivity loss and risk of erosion have to be taken into account in these areas, especially those with an horticultural use (Davis, 1989). Utilization of sewage sludge in agriculture. Agricultural Progress 64, 72-80]. Horticultural soils are highly vulnerable and prone to erosion, as vegetables are generally fast-growing species under intensive exploitation regimes. High-rate chemical inputs contribute to horticultural soil degradation and have a dramatic effect on soil microbial population and nutrient balance whilst, at the same time, have a counter-effect on price competitiveness of the vegetables to be commercialized. In this paper we monitored variations in physical, chemical and biological properties of a cauliflower plot where four increasing quantities of compost were applied. We carried out a three-stage sampling schedule in order to check the effect of compost applications doses. We conclude that a 2 kg compost/m2 application had a positive effect on physical and biological properties of the soil and provides a supply of nutrients to grow cauliflowers on its surface under intensive exploitation regimes without loss in biomass yield.     

Rezensionen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Phytoremediation organischer Schadstoffe

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Das Biologische System der Elemente

Ohne Zusammenfassung DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1065/uwsf2000.02.001     

Korrosionsschutz und Umwelt

Ohne Zusammenfassung Schlagw?rter: Gesetzgebung: Schweiz; Korrosionsschutz     

Critical Loads Exceedances in Germany and their Dependence on the Scale of Input Data

Critical load exceedances have been used as an effects-related parameter for guiding international air emission control negotiations. High-resolution critical load data are combined with low-resolution deposition data.This article shows that doing so systematicallyunderestimates `true' critical load exceedances as obtainedfrom combining critical load and deposition data of identicalhigh spatial resolution. 95th percentile critical loadexceedances in EMEP grids based on high resolution depositiondata are 60 and 150% higher (mean values for nutrientnitrogen and acidity, respectively) than critical loadexceedances based on the low resolution EMEP depositionmodel. The latter are used in international negotiations. Differences in individual EMEP grid squares vary betweeninsignificantly different from zero and 340%, depending onregional deposition and critical load characteristics andcritical load types (nutrient nitrogen versus acidity).Exceedances based on high-resolution deposition values arealso compared to EMEP grid averages of these values forforests only. This comparison excludes the effect ofsystematically higher depositions to forests. Still, thescale difference of (averaged, low-resolution) deposition and(high-resolution) critical loads data yields underestimatesof the 95th percentiles by on average ca. 20%.These systematic errors due to the scale dependence should beborne in mind when interpreting effects of internationalemission control measures.     

Policies and regulations for Brazil’s artisanal gold mining sector: analysis and recommendations

In Brazil, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) produces in the range of 6 tonnes of gold (Au) per annum, and employs approximately 200,000 people. Most of this mining activity is in the Amazon region, where miners have been extracting gold for more than 40 years. In the Tapajos River Basin, assessments indicate that around 99% of miners operate without the environmental and mining permits required by law. This is a result of a combination of unrealistic or lack of proper policies and regulations, lack of political will, lack of infra-structure to enforce the existing regulations and lack of incentives to miners to comply with legal requirements.In this article, we analyze a group of 20 laws, decrees and resolutions in Brazil, focusing on how idiosyncrasies in these regulations reveal gaps between policy and reality in ASGM areas. Artisanal miners operate in vast and remote areas and the government lacks the resources (personnel, vehicles, information and materials) to enforce the laws. Our analysis emphasizes the need for creating new government commitments and identifying priority areas where government agents can focus their efforts.There is no single solution for the environmental, health, technical and socio-economic problems associated with ASGM. However, a realistic approach should consider improving the level of education of miners, creating government programs to provide technical assistance in the field, simplifying administrative procedures and ensuring adequate measures for enforcement.     

Teil V: Das Umweltinformationssystem der Universit?t Osnabrück

Zusammenfassung  Grundlage für die erste Stoff- und Energieflu?analyse der Universit?t Osnabrück und die Erstellung der ?kobilanz war eine umfangreiche und damit zeitaufwendige Datensammlung, — aufbereitung und — weiterverarbeitung. Um die Bilanzierung für die Folgejahre zu vereinfachen und die ermittelten Daten für ein ?ko-Controlling nutzen zu k?nnen, wurde ein Konzept für ein Umweltinformationssystem (UIS) der Universit?t erarbeitet. Es setzt sich zusammen aus der operativen Ebene mit den dezentralen Daten(banken) der Verwaltung, einer zentralen Datenbankebene, in der die ?kobilanz erstellt und Umweltkennzahlen berechnet werden, und einer Auswertungs- und Pr?sentationsebene als Schnittstelle zwischen Daten und ihren Nutzern. Das UIS wird mittelfristig als Teil des Management-Informationssystem implementiert, das die Universit?t als erste Hochschule Deutschlands zur Zeit entwickelt.