Water resource developments in Ethiopia: potential benefits and negative impacts on the environment, vector-borne diseases, and food security

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 364-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Yewhalaw ◽  
S. Hamels ◽  
Y. Getachew ◽  
P.R. Torgerson ◽  
M. Anagnostou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Flood Control ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Socioeconomic Changes ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Negative Impacts

To satisfy the growing demand for electricity, Ethiopia plans to increase its electricity production five-fold between 2010 and 2015, mainly through the construction of dams. A literature review shows that while dams can boost power and agricultural production, promote economic development, and facilitate flood control, they can also lead to environmental, ecological, and socioeconomic changes. Several case studies show that dams may alter the composition and density of vectors and intermediate host species, increase the incidence of malaria schistosomiasis and possibly lymphatic filariasis, and lead to eutrophication of reservoirs, soil erosion, and earthquakes. There is evidence that dams and commercial irrigation schemes can increase soil and water degradation, vulnerability to drought, and food insecurity in riverine and lacustrine areas downstream of dams. It appears that dams in Ethiopia are also vulnerable to high soil erosion rates and earthquakes. Consequently, the current and proposed large-scale dam construction program in Ethiopia requires in-depth research to improve our understanding of the unintended negative effects of projects and to guide the location, design, and implementation of appropriate preventive and remedial programs.

scholarly journals Understanding How Smallholders Integrated into Pericoupled and Telecoupled Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Dou ◽  
Ramon da Silva ◽  
Paul McCord ◽  
Julie Zaehringer ◽  
Hongbo Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Agricultural Investments ◽  
Smallholder Systems

Increasing connections and influences from near to far have changed social structures, access to natural resources, and essential livelihoods of smallholders (i.e., those with incomes generated primarily from natural resources on small rural properties). However, the potential benefits and negative impacts from these connections to smallholders’ livelihoods and social-ecological effects remain understudied. In this paper, we applied the frameworks of pericoupling and telecoupling (human-nature interactions between adjacent and distant systems, respectively) to systematically investigate how the flows linking smallholder systems to other systems affect their livelihoods, and causing varying economic, social, and environmental effects from case to case. We synthesized 12 cases of smallholder systems around the world that are linked to adjacent and distant systems through flows of goods, people, resources, and/or information. In each case, we summarized smallholders’ agency, i.e., capability on the formation or operation of these flows, and the changes on livelihoods on the economic, social, and environment effects. Results suggest that strong smallholder agency is associated more with positive than negative effects. Smallholders with medium to high agency have greater overall well-being within the area of interest. Smallholders integrated in pericoupled systems often have strong agency. Being spillover systems in an intercoupled system (e.g., large-scale agricultural investments) can often cause negative outcomes unless smallholders have additional pericoupling flows. Our findings suggest one potential approach to ending poverty and increasing well-being for smallholders is creating and increasing pericoupling flows to empower smallholders for desired livelihood and social-ecological outcomes.

scholarly journals Didymo and Its Polysaccharide Stalks: Beneficial to the Environment or Not?

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Hurmat Ejaz ◽  
Esther Somanader ◽  
Uday Dave ◽  
Hermann Ehrlich ◽  
M. Azizur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Structural Component ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Adhesive Properties ◽  
The Past ◽  
Positive Side ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Bodies Of Water ◽  
Agricultural Setting

Didymosphenia geminata diatoms, or Didymo, was first found to be an invasive species that could have negative impacts on the environment due to the aggressive growth of its polysaccharide-based stalks. The stalks’ adhesive properties have prompted park officials to alert the general public to limit further spread and contamination of this algae to other bodies of water. Although the negative effects of Didymo have been studied in the past, recent studies have demonstrated a potential positive side to this alga. One of the potential benefits includes the structural component of the polysaccharide stalks. The origin of the polysaccharides within stalks remains unknown; however, they can be useful in a waste management and agricultural setting. The primary purpose of this study was to describe both the harmful and beneficial nature of Didymo. Important outcomes include findings related to its application in various fields such as medicine and technology. These polysaccharides can be isolated and studied closely to produce efficient solar power cells and batteries. Though they may be harmful while uncontained in nature, they appear to be very useful in the technological and medical advancement of our society.

Agricultural Industrialization, Anticorporate Farming Laws, and Rural Community Welfare

2005 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 1479-1491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A Lyson ◽  
Rick Welsh
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Industrialization ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Welfare Indicators ◽  
Industrial Farming ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Using Data

The effect on rural communities of shifts in US agriculture toward a system dominated by large-scale industrial production is a central problematic in the sociology of agriculture. Despite the importance of agriculture structure and practice to US society, most research on this topic has been confined to specialized journals. And though research in this area has found negative effects on rural communities from agricultural industrialization, there is a dearth of inquiry into public policy remedies. Using data on 433 agriculture-dependent counties in the USA, we find that counties in states with laws that limit nonfamily corporate entry into farming score higher on important welfare indicators, and that the laws mitigate negative impacts on rural communities from industrial farming.

scholarly journals NITROGEN LOSS BY EROSION FROM MECHANICALLY TILLED AND UNTILLED SOIL UNDER SUCCESSIVE SIMULATED RAINFALLS

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1204-1211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julieta Bramorski ◽  
Paulo Cesar Ocheuze Trivelin ◽  
Silvio Crestana
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nitrogen Loss ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Ground Water Quality ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Nutrient Use ◽  
Soil Depletion ◽  
Intervening Factors

The description of the fate of fertilizer-derived nitrogen (N) in agricultural systems is an essential tool to enhance management practices that maximize nutrient use by crops and minimize losses. Soil erosion causes loss of nutrients such as N, causing negative effects on surface and ground water quality, aside from losses in agricultural productivity by soil depletion. Studies correlating the percentage of fertilizer-derived N (FDN) with soil erosion rates and the factors involved in this process are scarce. The losses of soil and fertilizer-derived N by water erosion in soil under conventional tillage and no tillage under different rainfall intensities were quantified, identifying the intervening factors that increase loss. The experiment was carried out on plots (3.5 × 11 m) with two treatments and three replications, under simulated rainfall. The treatments consisted of soil with and soil without tillage. Three successive rainfalls were applied in intervals of 24 h, at intensities of 30 mm/h, 30 mm/h and 70 mm/h. The applied N fertilizer was isotopically labeled (15N) and incorporated into the soil in a line perpendicular to the plot length. Tillage absence resulted in higher soil losses and higher total nitrogen losses (TN) by erosion induced by the rainfalls. The FDN losses followed another pattern, since FDN contributions were highest from tilled plots, even when soil and TN losses were lowest, i.e., the smaller the amount of eroded sediment, the greater the percentage of FDN associated with these. Rain intensity did not affect the FDN loss, and losses were greatest after less intense rainfalls in both treatments.

scholarly journals KEBERHASILAN TEKNIK HYDROSEEDING UNTUK KONTROL EROSI PADA LAHAN MARGINAL SITE LATI PT BERAU COAL KABUPATEN BERAU PROVINSI KALIMANTAN TIMUR

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 585-594
Author(s):  
Hifzil Kirmi ◽  
Muhammad Masyhuri
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Open Pit Mining ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Operational Activities ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Very High

ABSTRAK Kegiatan penambangan batu bara PT Berau Coal site Lati menggunakan teknik open pit mining yang mana salah satu pengaruh negatif dari kegiatan operasional yakni potensi terjadinya pencemaran lingkungan meliputi pencemaran air karena terjadi erosi dan sedimentasi sungai dan juga terbentuknya areal revegetasi dengan tingkat kesuburan yang rendah. Untuk mengurangi dampak negatif salah satunya dengan penanaman mengguankan teknologi hydroseeding. Metode yang digunakan adalah penilaian keberhasilan covering covercrop hydroseeding dengan ground cover assassment, pendugaan laju erosi dengan USLE dan analisa kesuburan tanah kandungan pH dan C/N rasio. Hasil penelitian menunjukan areal revegetasi yang belum ditumbuhi covercrop mempunyai laju erosi sangat tinggi dan kesuburan tanah yang rendah, sedangkan pada areal yang sudah ditanamai covercrop dengan teknologi hydroseeding mempunyai tingkat laju erosi rendah dan kesuburan tanah yang senderung meningkat serta keberhasilan penutupan covercrop yang tinggi pada lahan marginal. Kata kunci : hydroseeding, lahan marginal, erosi, tanah  ABSTRACT PT Berau Coal site Lati coal mining activities use open pit mining technique, which is one of the negative effects of operational activities, namely the potential for environmental pollution including water pollution due to erosion and sedimentation of the river and also the formation of revegetation areas with low fertility. To reduce the negative impacts, one of them is by planting using hydroseeding technology. The method used is an assessment of the success of covering cover crop hydroseeding with ground cover assassment, estimating the rate of erosion with USLE and analyzing soil fertility with pH and C / N ratio. The results showed revegetation areas that have not been covered with covercrop have very high erosion rates and low soil fertility, whereas in areas that have been planted with covercrop with hydroseeding technology have low erosion rates and soil fertility which is inclined to increase and the success of covercrop cover is high on land marginal. Keywords: hydroseeding, marginal land, erosion, soil

The UNTOLD story

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 492-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ovidiu Ioan Moisescu ◽  
Oana Adriana Gică ◽  
Monica Maria Coroș ◽  
Anca C. Yallop
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Music Festival ◽  
Negative Impacts

Purpose This paper aims to examine the negative effects of events on residents’ quality of life. Particularly, the paper analyses the specific negative effects generated via “overtourism” for the duration of large-scale music festivals. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a case study method approach to examine the negative effects that UNTOLD, the largest music festival in Romania, has on residents’ quality of life. The case is analysed via a comprehensive desk research of secondary data from industry and academic sources. Findings Despite its success and the positive economic impact UNTOLD festival had on the host city, several issues have a negative impact on residents’ quality of life and well-being. The negative impacts are noise pollution, vandalism and crime, traffic and parking issues, waste and damages to the natural environment, pressure on and over usage of local services and infrastructure and the increased cost of living. Social implications Whilst organisers, local businesses and local authorities are the main parties benefiting from events, residents mainly feel the negative impact. Organisers, local authorities and businesses need to minimise the negative effects residents’ experience during the event by building sustainable partnerships and taking a more hands-on approach to sustainable and socially responsible practices. Current and potential initiatives are discussed in the paper. Originality/value This paper examines the negative impacts events may have on residents’ quality of life and discusses the case of a large-scale music festival, an under-researched context. The analysis and discussion may assist scholars and industry experts alike in generating new debates in sustainable event management practices, as well as festival organisers and public authorities in developing strategies for avoiding, containing or minimising the negative effects of events.

scholarly journals Soil erosion is unlikely to drive a future carbon sink in Europe

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. eaau3523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Lugato ◽  
Pete Smith ◽  
Pasquale Borrelli ◽  
Panos Panagos ◽  
Cristiano Ballabio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
C Cycle ◽  
The Impact

Understanding of the processes governing soil organic carbon turnover is confounded by the fact that C feedbacks driven by soil erosion have not yet been fully explored at large scale. However, in a changing climate, variation in rainfall erosivity (and hence soil erosion) may change the amount of C displacement, hence inducing feedbacks onto the land C cycle. Using a consistent biogeochemistry-erosion model framework to quantify the impact of future climate on the C cycle, we show that C input increases were offset by higher heterotrophic respiration under climate change. Taking into account all the additional feedbacks and C fluxes due to displacement by erosion, we estimated a net source of 0.92 to 10.1 Tg C year−1 from agricultural soils in the European Union to the atmosphere over the period 2016–2100. These ranges represented a weaker and stronger C source compared to a simulation without erosion (1.8 Tg C year−1), respectively, and were dependent on the erosion-driven C loss parameterization, which is still very uncertain. However, when setting a baseline with current erosion rates, the accelerated erosion scenario resulted in 35% more eroded C, but its feedback on the C cycle was marginal. Our results challenge the idea that higher erosion driven by climate will lead to a C sink in the near future.

СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЕ КОНФЛИКТЫ В РАМКАХ «КАПИТАЛИЗМА ПЛАТФОРМ»

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
L. V. Tomin
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Network Effects ◽  
Corporate Control ◽  
Balance Of Power ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Communication Infrastructure ◽  
Political Effects ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Integrated Information

The article is devoted to the analysis of the structure, the peculiarities of functioning and the socio-economic and political effects of the «platform capitalism». The basis of this model is the network effects produced by the integrated information and communication infrastructure, which contribute to the monopolization and the constant expansion of platform companies into new areas. The principle of functioning of this infrastructure is the continuous collection and further monetization of data extracted from the interactions of individuals among themselves or with one of the elements of a digitalized economy or government structures. Such an infrastructure — forms a potential threat of strengthening state and corporate control over citizens. In addition, the activities of platform companies produce negative effects on the labor market, reinforcing the process of precarization of employment. The integrated information and communication infrastructure of platform companies form a system of a kind of «digital Taylorism», which deprives the employee of autonomy and privacy in the workplace. The influence of digitalization, subjected to the technocratic logic of the neoliberal model of governance in democratic countries, strengthens the de-politicization of relations between the citizen and the state and further changes the balance of power between labor and capital in favor of the latter. Large-scale protests of the last years against the companies of “capitalism of platforms” demonstrated the structural contradictions of this model and formed new forms of organization and actions of grassroots workers of the “digital economy”.

Towards Control of an Estuary

1987 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 155-174
Author(s):  
Henk L. F. Saeijs
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Storm Surge ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Oxygen Depletion ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Intertidal Flats ◽  
Environmental Consequences ◽  
Short Time

The Delta Project is in its final stage. In 1974 it was subjected to political reconsideration, but it is scheduled now for completion in 1987. The final touches are being put to the storm-surge barrier and two compartment dams that divide the Oosterschelde into three areas: one tidal, one with reduced tide, and one a freshwater lake. Compartmentalization will result in 13% of channels, 45% of intertidal flats and 59% of salt marshes being lost. There is a net gain of 7% of shallow-water areas. Human interventions with large scale impacts are not new in the Oosterschelde but the large scale and short time in which these interventions are taking place are, as is the creation of a controlled tidal system. This article focusses on the area with reduced tide and compares resent day and expected characteristics. In this reduced tidal part salt marshes will extend by 30–70%; intertidal flats will erode to a lower level and at their edges, and the area of shallow water will increase by 47%. Biomass production on the intertidal flats will decrease, with consequences for crustaceans, fishes and birds. The maximum number of waders counted on one day and the number of ‘bird-days' will decrease drastically, with negative effects for the wader populations of western Europe. The net area with a hard substratum in the reduced tidal part has more than doubled. Channels will become shallower. Detritus import will not change significantly. Stratification and oxygen depletion will be rare and local. The operation of the storm-surge barrier and the closure strategy chosen are very important for the ecosystem. Two optional closure strategies can be followed without any additional environmental consequences. It was essential to determine a clearly defined plan of action for the whole area, and to make land-use choices from the outset. How this was done is briefly described.

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