We examine the dynamics and spatial determinants of land change in India by integrating decadal land cover maps (1985–1995–2005) from a wall-to-wall analysis of Landsat images with spatiotemporal socioeconomic database for ~630,000 villages in India. We reinforce our results through collective evidence from synthesis of 102 case studies that incorporate field knowledge of the causes of land change in India. We focus on cropland–fallow land conversions, and forest area changes (excludes non-forest tree categories including commercial plantations). We show that cropland to fallow conversions are prominently associated with lack of irrigation and capital, male agricultural labor shortage, and fragmentation of land holdings. We find gross forest loss is substantial and increased from ~23,810 km2 (1985–1995) to ~25,770 km2 (1995–2005). The gross forest gain also increased from ~6000 km2 (1985–1995) to ~7440 km2 (1995–2005). Overall, India experienced a net decline in forest by ~18,000 km2 (gross loss–gross gain) consistently during both decades. We show that the major source of forest loss was cropland expansion in areas of low cropland productivity (due to soil degradation and lack of irrigation), followed by industrial development and mining/quarrying activities, and excessive economic dependence of villages on forest resources.
Numerous governments around the world have adopted statutory mandates on plan content based on the assumption that they lead to greater consistency and higher quality of plans. While a number of studies have examined the relationship between mandates to develop plans and plan quality, there has been limited study of the influence of state mandates for plan content on plan quality in a regional natural resource management (NRM) planning context. This paper explores the relationship between the quality of regional NRM plans between statutory and non-statutory NRM regions in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. An analysis of 22 regional NRM plans indicates that there is no evidence of a relationship between plan quality and the presence of statutory mandates for regional NRM plans in New South Wales and Queensland. However, the paper identifies and discusses several other factors with unexpected relationships with an impact on the quality of NRM plans in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. 相似文献
This paper describes a four-year programme of “action research” (AR) undertaken with six communities in the UK, referred to as the Evaluating Low-Carbon Communities (EVALOC) project. The research combined a programme of research events with phased household-level monitoring of energy and carbon-reduction interventions. The carbon-reduction interventions were funded by the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change prior to the onset of the research. AR has recently been adopted within the context of environmental behaviour change programmes in the UK, with a number of methodological challenges. The EVALOC project’s challenges included developing a collaborative research design; building reciprocity between the researchers and research participants; dealing with biases and burdens in the research process; ensuring analytical rigour in the interpretation of the primarily qualitative evidence and dealing with the long-term and process-driven outcomes that arise from such interactions. This paper explores and discusses the challenges of AR in relation to selected research outcomes from EVALOC. We conclude by suggesting that the AR approach has helped to build capacity in the participating low-carbon communities (LCCs), through supporting the design, delivery and evaluation of their energy and carbon-reduction activities. 相似文献
The abiotic transformation of estrogens, including estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) and ethinylestradiol (EE2), in the presence of model vegetable matter was confirmed in this study. Batch experiments were performed to model the catalytic conversion of E1, E2, E3 and EE2 in synthetic wastewater. Greater than 80% reduction in the parent compounds was achieved for each target chemical after 72 h with the remaining concentration distributed between aqueous and solid phases as follows: 13% and 7% for E1, 10% and 2% for E2, 6% and 2% for E3, and 8% and 3% for EE2, respectively. Testosterone, androstenedione and progesterone were also monitored in this study, and their concentrations were found to be in agreement with initially spiked amount. Data collected under laboratory conditions provided the basis for implementing new abiotic wastewater treatment technologies that use inexpensive materials. 相似文献
The influence of petroleum contamination on soil microbial activities was investigated in 13 soil samples from sites around an injection water well (Iw-1, 2, 3, 4) (total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH): 7.5-78 mg kg−1), an oil production well (Op-1, 2, 3, 4, 5) (TPH: 149-1110 mg kg−1), and an oil spill accident well (Os-1, 2, 3, 4) (TPH: 4500-34 600 mg kg−1). The growth rate constant (μ) of glucose stimulated organisms, determined by microcalorimetry, was higher in Iw soil samples than in Op and Os samples. Total cultivable bacteria and fungi and urease activity also decreased with increasing concentration of TPH. Total heat produced demonstrated that TPH at concentrations less than about 1 g kg−1 soil stimulated anaerobic respiration. A positive correlation between TPH and soil organic matter (OM) and stimulation of fungi-bacteria-urease at low TPH doses suggested that TPH is bound to soil OM and slowly metabolized in Iw soils during OM consumption. These methods can be used to evaluate the potential of polluted soils to carry out self-bioremediation by metabolizing TPH. 相似文献
The environmental fate of the worldwide used herbicide isoproturon was studied in four different, undisturbed lysimeters in the temperate zone of Middle Europe. To exclude climatic effects due to location, soils were collected at different regions in southern Germany and analyzed at a lysimeter station under identical environmental conditions. 14C-isoproturon mineralization varied between 2.59% and 57.95% in the different soils. Barley plants grown on these lysimeters accumulated 14C-pesticide residues from soil in partially high amounts and emitted 14CO2 in an extent between 2.01% and 13.65% of the applied 14C-pesticide. Plant uptake and 14CO2 emissions from plants were inversely linked to the mineralization of the pesticide in the various soils: High isoproturon mineralization in soil resulted in low plant uptake whereas low isoproturon mineralization in soil resulted in high uptake of isoproturon residues in crop plants and high 14CO2 emission from plant surfaces. The soil water regime was identified as an essential factor that regulates degradation and plant uptake of isoproturon whereby the intensity of the impact of this factor is strongly dependent on the soil type. 相似文献
An assessment of the off-site migration of pesticides from agricultural activity into the environment in the Neuquen River Valley was performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of pesticides in several compartments of a small agricultural sub-catchment. Soil, surface water, shallow groundwater and drift deposition were analyzed for pesticide residues. Results showed the presence of some pesticide residues in soil, surface water and shallow groundwater compartments. The highest detection frequencies in water (surface and subsurface) were found for azinphos-methyl and chlorpyrifos (>70%). In terms of concentration, the highest levels were observed in shallow groundwater for azinphos methyl (22.5 μg/L) and carbaryl (45.7 μg/L). In the soil, even before the application period had started, accumulation of residues was present. These residues increased during the period studied. Spray drift during pesticide application was found to be a significant pathway for the migration of pesticide residues in surface water, while leaching and preferential flows were the main transport routes contributing to subsurface contamination. 相似文献
Environment, Development and Sustainability - Social representations necessarily originate from the interaction between individuals and groups in a social setting through communication and shared... 相似文献
Volatile substances and gases resulting e.g. from degradation processes of chemicals in soils emit into the atmosphere and
no chemical mass balance is complete without considering this path. Closed soil chambers allow the evaluation of this transfer
to the atmosphere. This study deals with the influence of soil chambers with a glass plate cover on physical soil conditions
in the chambers and the possibility to simulate the exterior conditions within the chambers. The water content immediately
at the soil surface is an important factor for the microbial activity and the transfer of gaseous compounds to the atmosphere
as well. It is monitored by specially designed water content sensors in 1 cm depth in the chamber and as control outside.
Funnels with a cross section equal to the soil surface area of the chamber collect the rain water and channel it into the
soil chamber. This results in soil water content in the chambers very similar to that outside. For the purpose of analysing
14CO2 and volatile 14C-compounds, air is permanently pumped through the chamber. In order to simulate natural conditions, the wind speed is measured
1 cm above the soil surface outside the chambers. A control circuit adjusts the air flow through the chamber to a value corresponding
to the wind speed outside. Temperature measurements in 1 cm depth verify that there is no significant difference between the
soil chamber and the control outside. 相似文献