Assessing reforestation failure at the project scale: The margin for technical improvement under harsh conditions. A case study in a Mediterranean Dryland

Author(s):  
Antonio D. del Campo ◽  
Guillem Segura-Orenga ◽  
Inmaculada Bautista ◽  
Carlos J. Ceacero ◽  
María González-Sanchis ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
Diego Pires Ferraz Trindade ◽  
Meelis Pärtel ◽  
Carlos Pérez Carmona ◽  
Tiina Randlane ◽  
Juri Nascimbene

AbstractMountains provide a timely opportunity to examine the potential effects of climate change on biodiversity. However, nature conservation in mountain areas have mostly focused on the observed part of biodiversity, not revealing the suitable but absent species—dark diversity. Dark diversity allows calculating the community completeness, indicating whether sites should be restored (low completeness) or conserved (high completeness). Functional traits can be added, showing what groups should be focused on. Here we assessed changes in taxonomic and functional observed and dark diversity of epiphytic lichens along elevational transects in Northern Italy spruce forests. Eight transects (900–1900 m) were selected, resulting in 48 plots and 240 trees, in which lichens were sampled using four quadrats per tree (10 × 50 cm). Dark diversity was estimated based on species co-occurrence (Beals index). We considered functional traits related to growth form, photobiont type and reproductive strategy. Linear and Dirichlet regressions were used to examine changes in taxonomic metrics and functional traits along gradient. Our results showed that all taxonomic metrics increased with elevation and functional traits of lichens differed between observed and dark diversity. At low elevations, due to low completeness and harsh conditions, both restoration and conservation activities are needed, focusing on crustose species. Towards high elevations, conservation is more important to prevent species pool losses, focusing on macrolichens, lichens with Trentepohlia and sexual reproduction. Finally, dark diversity and functional traits provide a novel tool to enhance nature conservation, indicating particular threatened groups, creating windows of opportunities to protect species from both local and regional extinctions.


1997 ◽  
Vol 1997 (1) ◽  
pp. 765-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
CDR Randolph C. Heiland ◽  
LTJG Benjamin L. Smith ◽  
William Edward Hazel ◽  
Michael Popa ◽  
Dennis J. McCarthy

ABSTRACT On February 5, 1996, a failed gasket on a transfer system between two 700,000-gallon storage tanks caused a spill of coal tar. The spill migrated through an outfall and entered the Detroit River. Eventually it was determined that 3500 gallons of the heavy coal tar had entered the river and sunk to the bottom. Responders used submersible pumps powered by hydraulic power packs and an environmental clamshell dredge to recover the submerged coal tar. Responders constantly battled subzero temperatures on the shore and frigid temperatures below the surface throughout the entire operation. Water recovered during the operation was filtered and discharged on site under the direction of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. This case study presents the spill response community with an in-depth view of submerged oil recovery during unusual and harsh conditions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 458-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
PF Blaauw ◽  
H Louw ◽  
R Schenck

 Formal sector unemployment forces many workers to venture into the informal sector.  The activities of day labourers are no exception.  The aim of this paper is to address the lack of research on informal labour markets by focusing on the day labourers in Pretoria as a case study and to investigate the employment history of and income earned by day labourers in Pretoria.  Day labourers involved in this study were mainly male, young, low skilled, earning low and uncertain levels of income and working under harsh conditions.  A significant portion of day labourers in Pretoria previously held formal sector occupations.  Long spells of unemployment can make it difficult for day labourers to return to the formal sector.  Many activities in the informal sector can never provide a permanent solution to unemployment. 


Author(s):  
P. F. Blaauw ◽  
L. J. Bothma

The car guard industry in South Africa evolved out of the plight of the unemployed. Very little research has been done on the industry in South Africa. The first objective of this article is to address the lack of research and the second is to determine whether the car guard industry can provide a solution to the problem of unemployment. Car guards involved in this study were found to be generally low skilled, earning low income and working under harsh conditions for long hours. The majority of them held formal sector employment before becoming unemployed. Car guarding is not a solution to the plight of the unemployed. Training and skill development supplemented by accelerated economic growth are vital to bridge the gap between the formal and informal sectors. OpsommingDie motorwag-industrie in Suid Afrika het onstaan uit die lot van die massa werkloses in die land. Weinig navorsing is al oor die industrie gedoen. Die doelwit van die artikel is eerstens om die gebrek aan navorsing aan te vul en tweedens om te bepaal of die motorwagindustrie ’n oplossing vir die probleem van werkloosheid kan bied. Motorwagte in die studie is oor die algemeen laag geskoold, swak besoldig en werksaam vir lang ure onder moeilike omstandighede. Die meeste het ’n werk in die formele sektor van die ekonomie gehad voordat hulle werkloos geword het. Om ’n motorwag te wees kan nooit ’n oplossing vir werkloosheid wees nie. Opleiding en die ontwikkeling van noodsaaklike vaardighede teen ’n agtergrond van versnelde ekonomiese groei, is uiters noodsaaklik om die gaping tussen die informele en formele sektor te oorbrug.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 546-549
Author(s):  
Reza Pashmineh Azar ◽  
Alexander Horst Thomas ◽  
Marcus Maurer ◽  
Gerd Lindner

Background: The Norwood classification system is commonly used to ascertain the progress of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with a robust and quick assessment, but it lacks precision in the frontal region, notably during the onset of male pattern hair loss. Objective: Due to the ongoing technical improvement in restorative hair transplantation practices, we aim to develop simple quantitative methods for measuring the progression of AGA. Methods: Here, we used a quantitative system to evaluate the progress of AGA of the frontal receding hairline in a case study with 41 patients. Results: We found subtle differences in the extent of frontotemporal regressions that were not captured by the Norwood classification system. The majority of patients exhibited significantly larger right-sided frontotemporal regressions. Conclusion: These results indicate that the quantification system used is a valuable tool in complementing the Norwood classification system to more precisely determine the recessing hairline characteristics in early stages of hair loss. Our findings also suggest that hairline regression in AGA-affected patients is asymmetrical, a hitherto unnoticed disorder-associated phenomenon with unknown biological causality.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aslihan Katip

It was stated that the use of urban wastewater in food production in the 1970s and 1980s may lead to the development of alternative farming systems in the future. Fish fed with wastewater are grown in Asian countries. However, due to the mixing of domestic wastewater with industrial wastewater, many toxic micro-polluting wastewaters affect fish farming even more. The objectives of this study were to investigate the suitability of fish for human food consumption in terms of metals, to provide a basis for the development of a standard on the concentration of heavy metals in reclaimed water used for fish aquaculture, and to search the possibilities of technical improvement of the system in terms of more efficient wastewater treatment. This study will be useful in terms of precautions and disadvantages that can be taken against food shortages that may be experienced with the effect of climate change.


Author(s):  
Roman Russu

Several mounts ago, during emergency meeting of UN Security Council, General Secretary Antonio Guterres, made a very trebling statement, that Cold war is back and it is even more dangerous than in the 60’s. This is not news for majority of scientific community. New international conflict started in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimean peninsula. New international conflict will definitely change the balance in international relations. The most vulnerable in these new conditions are the young democracies and countries that formed several decades ago due collapse of USSR and the whole communist bloc, Ukraine, Moldova, south Caucasian and Baltic states.  Imperial past left a lasting mark on economical, social and political life of newly form states. Soviet social experiments led to good number of problems for the former republics, ranging from political to territorial. Russian Federation uses these problems for her advantage. Surviving in this harsh conditions and reforming their society is the main challenge of  young European countries. Key words: Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, Putin, hybrid war, post-soviet space, international security


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ursula Eichenlaub-Ritter ◽  
Francesca Pacchierotti

Bisphenol A (BPA), originally developed as a synthetic oestrogen, is nowadays extensively used in the production of polymeric plastics. Under harsh conditions, these plastics may release BPA, which then can leach into the environment. Detectable concentrations of BPA have been measured in most analysed samples of human serum, plasma, or urine, as well as in follicular fluid, foetal serum, and amniotic fluid. Here we summarize the evidence about adverse BPA effects on the genetic and epigenetic integrity of mammalian oocytes. We conclude that increasing evidence supports the notion that low BPA concentrations adversely affect the epigenome of mammalian female germ cells, with functional consequences on gene expression, chromosome dynamics in meiosis, and oocyte development. Specific time windows, during which profound chromatin remodelling occurs and maternal imprints are established or protected, appear particularly vulnerable to epigenetic deregulation by BPA. Transgenerational effects have been also observed in the offspring of BPA-treated rodents, although the epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance still need to be clarified. The relevance of these findings for human health protection still needs to be fully assessed, but they warrant further investigation in both experimental models and humans.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gergely Jakab ◽  
Endre Dobos ◽  
Balázs Madarász ◽  
Zoltán Szalai ◽  
Judit Alexandra Szabó

Climate change is increasing the occurrence of extreme precipitation events and causing irregular precipitation patterns. This occurs in parallel with the degradation of crop fields, and triggers the occurrence of pluvial floods and droughts on the same field. Consequently, irrigation must be adapted to the changing soil properties. Detailed spatial and temporal measurements of changes in infiltration are required. This study aimed to quantify changes in infiltration for a subhumid irrigated cropland with various soil types (Phaeozem, Solonetz, Chernozem) and field conditions (seedbed and stubble) by simulating rainfall. As the soil structure determines hydrology, the aggregate stability/surface roughness was tested as a proxy of infiltration through photogrammetry. The soil losses caused by precipitation did not exhibit connections to changes in the surface roughness, and lower aggregate stability did not necessarily cause lower infiltration intensities, suggesting that sedimentation could only partly seal drainage pores. The final infiltration intensities varied within a wide range (0.2–28.4 mm h−1). Seedbed preparation did not increase the volume of micropores (<10 µm), which resulted in higher infiltration under stubble. Photogrammetry was found to be a potentially useful tool for measuring aggregate stability, however, further investigations on in situ soil surfaces are required for technical improvement.


Author(s):  
Totakura Grace ◽  
Dr. V. Divya Thejomurthy

The present paper refers to women empowerment through Micro finance (A case study of N.G.O. in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh state. The main objective of this paper is to portray the profile of voluntary organization under study area. Micro finance and also SHGs are successful in reducing poverty, empowering women and providing awareness which results in development which is sustainable to the nation and also the next generation. Women have been the most deprived and discriminated strata of society not only in our country but all over the world. In spite of all the efforts of Government and Non-Government organizations they have fallen prey to the financial sector and offer themselves to surrender. The origin of the women empowerment movement could be traced back to the nineteenth century during the harsh conditions in which women had to work in and the substantially lower wages they earned in comparison to men. Further, the issues of anti-slavery, restraint, and women’s suffrage, combined with the exploitation of women and children in the Industrial Revolution era further raised the movement. More than 90 per cent women respondents are married who are in need of microfinance and empowerment, so that they can support their families economically through running various small sector units or businesses. The present study can be inferred that nearly 80 per cent of the respondents are in the productive age-group of between (30-40years). This group of people can withhold courage, innovation, creativity and ability to take risk. There is a need to encourage more number of middle aged as well as above 50 years age group women also to form SHGs in order to achieve the objectives of the SHGs. KEY WORDS: Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Women Empowerment, Self-Help Groups, Micro Financing, Suffrage.


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