scholarly journals Runoff and leaching of dissolved phosphorus in streams from a rainfed mixed cropping and grazing catchment under a Mediterranean climate in Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 771 ◽  
pp. 145371
Author(s):  
R. Sharma ◽  
M.T.F. Wong ◽  
D.M. Weaver ◽  
R.W. Bell ◽  
Xiaodong Ding ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
I.G.C. Kerr ◽  
J.M. Williams ◽  
W.D. Ross ◽  
J.M. Pollard

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) introduced into New Zealand in the 183Os, has consistently flourished in Central Otago, the upper Waitaki, and inland Marlborough, all areas of mediterranean climate. It has proved difficult to manage in these habitats. The 'rabbit problem' is largely confined to 105,000 ha of low producing land mostly in semi arid areas of Central Otago. No field scale modifications of the natural habitat have been successful in limiting rabbit numbers. The costs of control exceed the revenue from the land and continued public funding for control operations appears necessary. A system for classifying land according to the degree of rabbit proneness is described. Soil survey and land classification information for Central Otago is related to the distribution and density of rabbits. This intormation can be used as a basis for defining rabbit carrying capacity and consequent land use constraints and management needs. It is concluded that the natural rabbit carrying capacity of land can be defined by reference to soil survey information and cultural modification to the natural vegetation. Classification of land according to rabbit proneness is proposed as a means of identifying the need for, and allocation of, public funding tor rabbit management. Keywords: Rabbit habitat, rabbit proneness, use of rabbit prone land.


2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Stämpfli ◽  
Chandra A. Madramootoo

Abstract Recent studies have shown subirrigation (SI) to be effective in reducing nitrate losses from agricultural tile drainage systems. A field study was conducted from 2001 to 2002 in southwestern Québec to evaluate the effect of SI on total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) losses in tile drainage. In an agricultural field with drains installed at a 1-m depth, a SI system with a design water table depth (WTD) of 0.6 m below the soil surface was compared with conventional free drainage (FD). Subirrigation increased drainage outflow volumes in the autumn, when drains were opened and water table control was interrupted for the winter in the SI plots. Outflows were otherwise similar for both treatments. Throughout the study, the TDP concentrations in tile drainage were significantly higher with SI than with FD for seven out of 17 of the sampling dates for which data could be analyzed statistically, and they were never found to be lower for plots under SI than for plots under FD. Of the seven dates for which the increase was significant, six fell in the period during which water table control was not implemented (27 September 2001 to 24 June 2002). Hence, it appears that SI tended to increase TDP concentrations compared with FD, and that it also had a residual effect between growing seasons. Almost one-third of all samples from the plots under SI exceeded Québec's surface water quality standard (0.03 mg TDP L-1), whereas concentrations in plots under FD were all below the standard. Possible causes of the increase in TDP concentrations in tile drainage with SI are high TDP concentrations found in the well water used for SI and a higher P solubility caused by the shallow water table.


1994 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Argue

The water resources crisis facing countries of the Mediterranean Basin is reflected, in diminished form, in the semi-arid, “Mediterranean-climate” zone of Australia. Some creative solutions involving the collection, treatment, storage, retrieval and use of storm runoff to replace the component of mainssupplied water presently used for “second quality” purposes, are emerging in Adelaide, capital city of South Australia. The paper describes one initiative being taken to achieve source control of stormwater – quantity and quality – in mixed-density residential streets. The resulting streetscape is suitable for use in both “greenfields” and re-development projects. The paper explores the hydrological/hydraulic performance of the system and shows that it satisfies all theoretical- requirements for safety in the full range of flooding up to and including the “once in 100-years” event. The new streetscape holds the following advantages over conventional streetscapes : reduced peak outflows, greatly improved effluent water quality, aids “greening” of the landscape, potential for aquifer recharge where appropriate, aquiferretrieved groundwater can replace mains water used for irrigation, “nuisance” flows are fully contained (no surface appearance), major flows only occupy the swale, street residences are less flood prone and the streetscape fits more harmoniously into undulating terrain.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3313
Author(s):  
Juan Luis Aguirre ◽  
María Teresa Martín ◽  
Sergio González ◽  
Manuel Peinado

The effects of two types of biochar on corn production in the Mediterranean climate during the growing season were analyzed. The two types of biochar were obtained from pyrolysis of Pinus pinaster. B1 was fully pyrolyzed with 55.90% organic carbon, and B2 was medium pyrolyzed with 23.50% organic carbon. B1 and B2 were supplemented in the soil of 20 plots (1 m2) at a dose of 4 kg/m2. C1 and C2 (10 plots each) served as control plots. The plots were automatically irrigated and fertilizer was not applied. The B1-supplemented plots exhibited a significant 84.58% increase in dry corn production per square meter and a 93.16% increase in corn wet weight (p << 0.001). Corn production was no different between B2-supplemented, C1, and C2 plots (p > 0.01). The weight of cobs from B1-supplemented plots was 62.3%, which was significantly higher than that of cobs from C1 and C2 plots (p < 0.01). The grain weight increased significantly by 23% in B1-supplemented plots (p < 0.01) and there were no differences between B2-supplemented, C1, and C2 plots. At the end of the treatment, the soil of the B1-supplemented plots exhibited increased levels of sulfate, nitrate, magnesium, conductivity, and saturation percentage. Based on these results, the economic sustainability of this application in agriculture was studied at a standard price of €190 per ton of biochar. Amortization of this investment can be achieved in 5.52 years according to this cost. Considering the fertilizer cost savings of 50% and the water cost savings of 25%, the amortization can be achieved in 4.15 years. If the price of biochar could be reduced through the CO2 emission market at €30 per ton of non-emitted CO2, the amortization can be achieved in 2.80 years. Biochar markedly improves corn production in the Mediterranean climate. However, the amortization time must be further reduced, and enhanced production must be guaranteed over the years with long term field trials so that the product is marketable or other high value-added crops must be identified.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5322
Author(s):  
Gabriel Zsembinszki ◽  
Noelia Llantoy ◽  
Valeria Palomba ◽  
Andrea Frazzica ◽  
Mattia Dallapiccola ◽  
...  

The buildings sector is one of the least sustainable activities in the world, accounting for around 40% of the total global energy demand. With the aim to reduce the environmental impact of this sector, the use of renewable energy sources coupled with energy storage systems in buildings has been investigated in recent years. Innovative solutions for cooling, heating, and domestic hot water in buildings can contribute to the buildings’ decarbonization by achieving a reduction of building electrical consumption needed to keep comfortable conditions. However, the environmental impact of a new system is not only related to its electrical consumption from the grid, but also to the environmental load produced in the manufacturing and disposal stages of system components. This study investigates the environmental impact of an innovative system proposed for residential buildings in Mediterranean climate through a life cycle assessment. The results show that, due to the complexity of the system, the manufacturing and disposal stages have a high environmental impact, which is not compensated by the reduction of the impact during the operational stage. A parametric study was also performed to investigate the effect of the design of the storage system on the overall system impact.


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