Are South Indian farmers adaptable to global change? A case in an Andhra Pradesh catchment basin

Global changes are already having an impact on South Indian farmers. Climate change is affecting the agricultural sector since it is dependent on climatic conditions and water resource availability. The impacts tend to be greater in semi-arid hard rock areas with few water resources. Furthermore, South India area is experiencing a profound agrarian crisis, which is linked, among others, to debt and credit problems. The study reported in this paper aims to develop a methodology to compare and rank farmers according to their ability to adapt to global change. The definition of adaptive capacity is based on a livelihood assets approach. Indicators are evaluated through individual surveys among farmers, then, weighted using the analytic hierarchy process and aggregated via compromise programming. The result is a standardized score measuring the distance of each farmer from an ideal adaptive capacity. Farmers are ranked according to this distance, which allows a comparison of their relative ability to adapt. At the basin scale, it shows that the geographic position of farmers is a significant factor in adaptation performance. The proximity of an administrative center contributes to an increase of their adaptive capacity. Small farming areas limit the adaptive capacities of marginal and small farmers while the largest farmers are constrained by economic factors such as large loans. These study findings offer interesting indications on the variability of farmers’ weaknesses and are bringing a better understanding of the causes of poor performance.     

Endocrine disrupting activities in sewage effluent and river water determined by chemical analysis and in vitro assay in the context of granular activated carbon upgrade

As part of endocrine disruption in catchments (EDCAT) programme, this work aims to assess the temporal and spatial variations of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in River Ray, before and after the commissioning of a full-scale granular activated carbon (GAC) plant at a sewage treatment works (STW). Through spot and passive sampling from effluent and river sites, estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities were determined by chemical analysis and in vitro bio-assay. A correlation was found between chemical analyses of the most potent estrogens (estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2)) and yeast estrogen screen (YES) measurement, both showing clearly a reduction in estrogenic activity after the commissioning of the GAC plant at the STW. During the study period, the annual average concentrations of E1, E2 and EE2 had decreased from 3.5 ng L⁻¹, 3.1 ng L⁻¹ and 0.5 ng L⁻¹ to below their limit of detection (LOD), respectively, with a concentration reduction of at least 91%, 81% and 60%. Annual mean estrogenic activity measured by YES of spot samples varied from 1.9 ng L⁻¹ to 0.4 ng L⁻¹ E2 equivalent between 2006 and 2008 representing a 79% reduction. Similarly, anti-androgenic activity measured by yeast anti-androgen screen (anti-YAS) of spot samples was reduced from 148.8 to 22.4 μg flutamide L⁻¹, or by 85%. YES and anti-YAS values were related to each other, suggesting co-existence of both types of activities from chemical mixtures in environmental samples. The findings confirm the effectiveness of a full-scale GAC in removing both estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities from sewage effluent.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in some grounded coffee brands

Potentially toxic 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in four brands of grounded coffee. Four to 13 PAHs were detected. Concentrations of total PAHs in different brands of coffee samples were in the range of 831.7–1,589.7 μg/kg. Benzo[a]pyrene (2A: probable human carcinogen) was found in Nescafe Premium whereas naphthalene (2B: possible human carcinogen) was found in all the samples of coffee.     

Assessing drivers of post-harvest losses: tangible and intangible resources’ perspective

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Many stakeholders in agro-food industry are concerned about sustainability, especially in addressing post-harvest loss (PHL). However, resources...     

Does one good turn deserve another? coworker influences on employee citizenship

Social information processing and social learning theories were utilized to hypothesize that an employee's organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is influenced by the collective OCB in one's workgroup. An aggregate measure of OCB was constructed based upon Podsakoff, MacKenzie, and Fetter's (1993) measures of Organ's (1988) typology of OCB, and the study was replicated using both supervisor and employee‐provided ratings of OCB. The sample for this study included 566 employees (488 for the supervisor‐rated analysis) from 56 workgroups in a manufacturing organization. The mean level of OCB for other members of one's workgroup explained significant variance in individual levels of OCB. We also found that this effect is moderated by the consistency of the display of the OCB within the workgroup. The consistency of OCB across coworkers was associated with more OCB by individuals and this effect was replicated across both supervisor and employee ratings. Explanations and uses for our findings are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Current Status of Mathematical Models for Population Dynamics of Prymnesium parvum in a Texas Reservoir1

Grover, James P., Jason W. Baker, Daniel L. Roelke, and Bryan W. Brooks, 2010. Current Status of Mathematical Models for Population Dynamics of Prymnesium parvum in a Texas Reservoir. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(1):92-107. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00393.x Abstract: Blooms of the harmful alga Prymnesium parvum have apparently increased in frequency in inland waters of the United States, especially in western Texas. A suite of mathematical models was developed based on a chemostat (or continuously stirred tank reactor) framework, and calibrated with data from Lake Granbury, Texas. Inputs included data on flows, salinity, irradiance, temperature, zooplankton grazing, and nutrients. Parameterization incorporated recent laboratory studies relating the specific growth rate of P. parvum to such factors. Models differed in the number of algal populations competing with P. parvum, and whether competition occurred only by consumption of shared nutrients, or additionally through production of an allelopathic chemical by one of the populations, parameterized as cyanobacteria. Uncalibrated models did not reproduce the observed seasonal dynamics of P. parvum in Lake Granbury, which displayed a maximum population in late February during a prolonged bloom in cooler weather, and reduced abundance in summer. Sensitivity analyses suggested two modifications leading to predictions that better resembled observations. The first modification greatly reduces the optimal temperature for growth of P. parvum, an approach that disagrees with laboratory experiments indicating a strong potential for growth at temperatures above 20°C. The second modification increases the growth rate of P. parvum at all temperatures, in models including cyanobacterial allelopathy. Despite these adjustments, calibrated models did not faithfully simulate all features of the seasonal dynamics of P. parvum.     

Greenhouse gas mitigation in rice–wheat system with leaf color chart-based urea application

Conventional blanket application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer results in more loss of N from soil system and emission of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas (GHG). The leaf color chart (LCC) can be used for real-time N management and synchronizing N application with crop demand to reduce GHG emission. A 1-year study was carried out to evaluate the impact of conventional and LCC-based urea application on emission of nitrous oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide in a rice–wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. Treatments consisted of LCC scores of ≤4 and 5 for rice and wheat and were compared with conventional fixed-time N splitting schedule. The LCC-based urea application reduced nitrous oxide emission in rice and wheat. Application of 120 kg N per hectare at LCC ≤ 4 decreased nitrous oxide emission by 16% and methane by 11% over the conventional split application of urea in rice. However, application of N at LCC ≤ 5 increased nitrous oxide emission by 11% over the LCC ≤ 4 treatment in rice. Wheat reduction of nitrous oxide at LCC ≤ 4 was 18% as compared to the conventional method. Application of LCC-based N did not affect carbon dioxide emission from soil in rice and wheat. The global warming potential (GWP) were 12,395 and 13,692 kg CO₂ ha⁻¹ in LCC ≤ 4 and conventional urea application, respectively. Total carbon fixed in conventional urea application in rice–wheat system was 4.89 Mg C ha⁻¹ and it increased to 5.54 Mg C ha⁻¹ in LCC-based urea application (LCC ≤ 4). The study showed that LCC-based urea application can reduce GWP of a rice–wheat system by 10.5%.     

Split-level Plumes

Two recent power plant plume studies by mobile, ground-based and airborne lidar have recorded cross-section images of plumes with sharply-defined layered and connected bands of aerosol in the vertical. Of the external parameters considered, wind direction and speed changes in the vertical were found to be associated most with these plume types. Statistical analyses indicate that both direction and speed shear are highly correlated with the layered plumes.     

Ecosystem studies on upper region of Ganga River,India

A multi-disciplinary research programme on the Ganga River Ecosystem was launched by the Government of India in 1983 to collect information on its attributes. Monitoring of the initial 509 km unpolluted and unmonitored region of the river falling in partly mountainous and partly upper plain stretches for two years revealed good water quality. The Song River (a tributary) catchment, a victim of extensive mining activity in the past, was found to add maximum mineral load. The Bhagirathi River was found to carry maximum suspended solid load. Organic pollution was low throughout, occasionally showing seasonal and local peaks. The river exhibited a high oxidative state with pH falling in a slightly alkaline range and nutrient levels being very low.Diatoms formed a major part of the encountered genera of phytoplankton. Zooplankton were mainly represented by protozoans. Saprophytic bacteria underwent large spatial and temporal fluctuations. Coliforms exhibited an increasing trend with downstream river distance. The source of pollution could not be specifically characterized from an FC/FS ratio. Only one sample tested positive for enteric virus. The forms of benthic macroinvertebrates indicated a clean stream environment. It was observed that diversity indices, together with evenness and community comparison, could provide a promising approach to determine the state of the community.Eight heavy metals investigated, Cu, Zn, Fe, Cd, Mn, Pb, Ni and Co, were found to be present in the river water and bed sediments. The prominent mode of metal transport was found to be via the suspended load. The concentration of dissolved metals was found within WHO permissible limits. The heavy metal status of the Ganga River was compared with other rivers of the world. Sorptive properties of sediments were found to be similar to the general sorptive behaviour of the clays. Laboratory studies exhibited reasonable short t ₉₀ values for coliform survival in Ganga water. Faecal streptococcus survived longer.     

Allium cepa root tip assay in assessment of toxicity of magnesium oxide nanoparticles and microparticles

Allium cepa bioassay had been used from decades for the assessment of toxicants and their harmful effects on environment as well as human health. Magnesium oxide(MgO) particles are being utilized in different fields. However, reports on the adverse effects of MgO nanoparticles on the environment and mankind are scarce. Hence, the toxicity of MgO particles is of concern because of their increased utilization. In the current study, A. cepa was used as an indicator to assess the toxicological efficiency of MgO nano-and microparticles(NPs and MPs) at a range of exposure concentrations(12.5, 25, 50, and100 μg/m L). The toxicity was evaluated by using various bioassays on A. cepa root tip cells such as comet assay, oxidative stress and their uptake/internalization profile. Results indicated a dose dependent increase in chromosomal aberrations and decrease in mitotic index(MI) when compared to control cells and the effect was more significant for NPs than MPs(at p 0.05). Comet analysis revealed that the Deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) damage in terms of percent tail DNA ranged from 6.8–30.1 over 12.5–100 μg/m L concentrations of MgO NPs and was found to be significant at the exposed concentrations. A significant increase in generation of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals was observed in accordance with the lipid peroxidation profile in both MgO NPs and MPs treated plants when compared with control. In conclusion, this investigation revealed that MgO NPs exposure exhibited greater toxicity on A. cepa than MPs.