scholarly journals Agriculture and forestry impact assessment for tephra fall hazard: fragility function development and New Zealand scenario application

Volcanica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 345-367
Author(s):  
Heather M. Craig ◽  
Thomas M. Wilson ◽  
Christina Magill ◽  
Carol Stewart ◽  
Alec J. Wild
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Fragility Functions ◽  
Chemical Toxicity ◽  
Loss Assessment ◽  
Tephra Fall ◽  
Fragility Function ◽  
The Impact

Developing approaches to assess the impact of tephra fall to agricultural and forestry systems is essential for informing effective disaster risk management strategies. Fragility functions are commonly used as the vulnerability model within a loss assessment framework and represent the relationship between a given hazard intensity measure (e.g., tephra thickness) and the probability of impacts occurring. Impacts are represented here using an impact state (IS), which categorises qualitative and quantitative statements into a numeric scale. This study presents IS schemes for pastoral, horticultural, and forestry systems, and a suite of fragility functions estimating the probability of each IS occurring for 13 sub-sectors. Temporal vulnerability is accounted for by a ‘seasonality coefficient,’ and a ‘chemical toxicity coefficient’ is included to incorporate the increased vulnerability of pastoral farming systems when tephra is high in fluoride. The fragility functions are then used to demonstrate a deterministic impact assessment with current New Zealand exposure.

scholarly journals Rural Roads Are Paving the Way for Land-Use Intensification in the Uplands of Laos

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 330
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Castella ◽  
Sonnasack Phaipasith
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Rural Roads ◽  
External Resources ◽  
Hybrid Maize ◽  
The Impact

Road expansion has played a prominent role in the agrarian transition that marked the integration of swidden-based farming systems into the market economy in Southeast Asia. Rural roads deeply altered the landscape and livelihood structures by allowing the penetration of boom crops such as hybrid maize in remote territories. In this article, we investigate the impact of rural road developments on livelihoods in northern Laos through a longitudinal study conducted over a period of 15 years in a forest frontier. We studied adaptive management strategies of local stakeholders through the combination of individual surveys, focus group discussions, participatory mapping and remote-sensing approaches. The study revealed the short-term benefits of the maize feeder roads on poverty alleviation and rural development, but also the negative long-term effects on agroecosystem health and agricultural productivity related to unsustainable land use. Lessons learnt about the mechanisms of agricultural intensification helped understanding the constraints faced by external interventions promoting sustainable land management practices. When negotiated by local communities for their own interest, roads may provide livelihood-enhancing opportunities through access to external resources, rather than undermining them.

scholarly journals Response of endemic and exotic earthworm communities to ecological restoration

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Boyer ◽  
Young-Nam Kim ◽  
Mike H Bowie ◽  
Marie-Caroline Lefort ◽  
Nicholas M Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Plant Restoration ◽  
Exotic Earthworms ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
The Impact

New Zealand has 23 exotic and more than 200 endemic earthworm species. Endemic earthworms disappeared quickly after vegetation clearance and land conversion to agriculture from the early C19th. Environmental changes associated with agronomic practices are believed to have been the main drivers for their disappearance. Exotic earthworms introduced from Europe have since largely replaced endemic earthworms into farming systems and have been intentionally propagated to increase production. Little is known about potential competition between endemic and exotic earthworms in New Zealand, and the capacity of exotic earthworms to extend their range into native habitats. Using two sites in the South Island of New Zealand, we investigated the impact of restoring native vegetation on earthworm communities. The study sites were Quail Island (Banks Peninsula), which has been undergoing native plant restoration for more than 30 years, and the Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project (West Coast) where 130,000 native trees have been planted in retired pasture in the last seven years. At each site, soil samples (20 x 20 x 20 cm) were collected and hand sorted for earthworms. Sequential restoration plantings revealed that recolonisation by endemic earthworms increases with time after restoration at the two sample sites. With increasing age of the restoration, the biomass of endemic earthworm significantly increased, as did abundance at Punakaiki. However, exotic species did not disappear after restoration of native vegetation, even after 30 years in Quail Island. The persistence of exotic species leads to the cohabitation of the two communities and potential for interspecific competition.

Agricultural land use changes and water quality: a case study in the watershed of the lagoon of Venice

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Giupponi ◽  
Paolo Rosato
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Lagoon Of Venice ◽  
The Impact

The effects of alternative agricultural land use scenarios in terms of environmental impact assessment on surface and ground water were simulated by means of combined socio-economic and environmental models. The economic model produced and evaluated alternative farming systems, defined in terms of land use (in farm crop allocations and regional statistics of crop distributions) and cultivation practices as influenced by different macro-economic scenarios of agricultural policies. These scenarios were defined on the basis of the present Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union and possible future measures for reducing the impact of current agricultural systems on the environment. The farmers' decisional process has been simulated with multi-objective functions aimed at maximising profits and minimising risk. The methodology for the environmental impact assessment of farming systems is based on a simulation model for non-point source agricultural pollution which determines the impact of agriculture on a single field basis as influenced by environmental variables (soil and climate) and farmers' decisions (crop, soil management, fertilisation, etc.). The results obtained from this model were used to calculate a series of comparative indices capable of describing the effects of the use of fertilisers and pesticides on surface and ground waters. A geographical information system supported the spatial data management in particular for: a) the definition of simulation environments; b) the integration of physical and statistical geographical information; c) the cartographic presentation of results and the comparison of alternative scenarios. The model has been applied in the area of the Watershed of the Lagoon of Venice (WLV), located in northern Italy and has demonstrated how alternative policy scenarios determine not only significant variations in the overall environmental impacts in the study area, but also remarkable differences in their spatial distribution.

scholarly journals Evaluation of fragility functions with potential relevance for use in New Zealand

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Z. Yeow ◽  
Timothy J. Sullivan ◽  
Kenneth J. Elwood
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Precast Concrete ◽  
Loss Estimation ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Fragility Functions ◽  
Repair Cost ◽  
Fragility Function ◽  
Moment Resisting ◽  
Building Components ◽  
Plate Connections

One barrier to adopting seismic loss estimation frameworks in New Zealand engineering practice is the lack of relevant fragility functions which provide probabilities of exceeding certain levels of damage (e.g. cracking of gypsum wallboards) for a given demand (e.g. interstorey drifts). This study seeks to address this need for four different building components; interior full-height steel-framed plasterboard partition walls, unbraced suspended ceilings, precast concrete cladding, and steel beam-column joints with extended bolted end-plate connections. Fragility functions were sourced from literature, and their potential for use in New Zealand is evaluated considering similarities in component detailing with local practices. Modifications to a number of fragility functions, including generalizations for easier adoption in practice, are proposed. A loss estimation case study of a 4-storey steel moment-resisting frame is performed to investigate the significance of fragility function selection. It is shown that the definition of damage states can have a noticeable influence on the assessment of incurred repair cost of individual building components. This indicates that fragility functions should be carefully selected, particularly if the performance evaluation of each individual component is of utmost importance. However, the observed difference in expected annual repair cost of the entire building was small, indicating that in cases where fragility functions are not readily applicable for use in New Zealand, other fragility functions may be used as placeholders without drastically altering the outcome of loss analysis for the entire building.

The Impact of Biodiversity in Sustainable Agroecosystems

2013 ◽  
Vol 726-731 ◽  
pp. 4017-4020
Author(s):  
Yan Ming Zhang ◽  
He Qi Wu ◽  
Yang Bai ◽  
Hong Wang ◽  
Ji Lin Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural Biodiversity ◽  
Functional Biodiversity ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
The Face ◽  
Growing Conditions ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
The Impact

As a powerful tool, biodiversity can be applied for assessing sustainability levels in agroecosystems as well as assessing both positive and negative effects of different agricultural activities and management strategies on the environment. It is the variety of life, including variation among genes, species and functional traits, which can increase the productivity of farming systems in a range of growing conditions, and also can maintain and increase soil fertility and mitigate the impact of pests and diseases. More diverse farming systems are generally more resilient in the face of perturbations, thus enhancing food security. For agriculture, biodiversity can be also expressed as planned (agricultural) and associated (para-agricultural and extra-agricultural) biodiversity, which reflect different functions of plants, animals and micro-organisms in agroecosystems. This paper introduces the categories of biodiversity in agroecosystems, assesses the functional biodiversity in sustainable agroecosystems, and prospects the significant of biodiversity in sustainable agroecosystems.

scholarly journals Growing the Business of Whole Grain in the Australian Market: A 6-Year Impact Assessment

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity Curtain ◽  
Alexandra Locke ◽  
Sara Grafenauer
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Whole Grain ◽  
Breakfast Cereals ◽  
Code Of Practice ◽  
Food Standards ◽  
Grain Products ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Grain Foods ◽  
Very High

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code does not regulate on-pack claims describing the amount of whole grain in foods. In July 2013, The Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council™ (GLNC) established a voluntary Code of Practice for Whole Grain Ingredient Content Claims (the Code) providing guidance for whole grain claims, with cut-off values and suggested wording ≥8 g, ≥16 g, and ≥24 g per manufacturer serve (contains; high and very high in whole grain), based on a 48 g whole grain daily target intake. The aim of this impact assessment was to report the uptake of the Code by manufacturers, changes in numbers of whole grain products, and claims on-pack since 2013, including compliance. The impact assessment was undertaken in August 2019, comparing current registered manufacturers (“users”) and their products to the total number of products in the market deemed eligible for registration through GLNC product audits since 2013. Reporting included breakfast cereals, bread products, crispbreads, crackers, rice/corn cakes, rice, pasta, noodles, couscous, other grains (e.g., quinoa, buckwheat, freekeh), and grain-based muesli bars. As of 30 June 2019, there were 33 registered users and 531 registered products in Australia and New Zealand representing 43% of the eligible manufacturers and 65% of the eligible whole grain foods. Three-quarters (78% and 74%) of the eligible breakfast cereals and bread products were registered with the Code in 2019, followed by 62% of grain-based muesli bars. Only 39% of crispbread, crackers, rice/corn cakes, and rice, pasta, noodles, couscous, and other grains were registered. From 2013 there has been a 71% increase in the number of whole grain foods making claims, demonstrating strong uptake by industry, with clearer, more consistent, and compliant on-pack communication regarding whole grain content.

scholarly journals Looking Back to Move Forward: Lessons From Three Decades of Research and Management of Cetacean Tourism in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddalena Fumagalli ◽  
Marta Guerra ◽  
Tom Brough ◽  
William Carome ◽  
Rochelle Constantine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Scientific Practices ◽  
Anthropogenic Stressor ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
The Impact

Cetacean tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand is now over 30 years old and has experienced substantial growth in visitor numbers and operations. The industry is remarkably diverse, targeting several dolphin and whale species, and encompassing varied habitats in coastal waters, fiords and submarine canyons. The knowledge and experience collected over these past 30 years has both advanced the global understanding of cetacean tourism, and influenced scientific practices for its study and management. Here we review the approaches taken in quantifying the impact of cetacean tourism in New Zealand, and critically assess the efficacy of the research and management strategies adopted. We place particular focus on the Bay of Islands, Hauraki Gulf, Kaikoura, Akaroa and Fiordland, areas that include the oldest, and longest studied industries nationally. We propose a set of best research practices, expose the most notable knowledge gaps and identify emerging research questions. Drawing on perspectives from the natural and social sciences, we outline the key determinants of failure and success in protecting cetacean populations from the detrimental impact of tourism. We suggest four golden rules for future management efforts: (1) acknowledge cetacean tourism as a sub-lethal anthropogenic stressor to be managed with precaution, (2) apply integrated and adaptive site- and species-specific approaches, (3) fully conceptualize tourism within its broader social and ecological contexts, and (4) establish authentic collaborations and engagement with the local community. Lastly, we forecast upcoming challenges and opportunities for research and management of this industry in the context of global climate change. Despite New Zealand's early establishment of precautionary legislation and advanced tourism research and management approaches, we detected flaws in current schemes, and emphasize the need for more adaptive and comprehensive strategies. Cetacean tourism remains an ongoing challenge in New Zealand and globally.

scholarly journals Response of endemic and exotic earthworm communities to ecological restoration

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Boyer ◽  
Young-Nam Kim ◽  
Mike H Bowie ◽  
Marie-Caroline Lefort ◽  
Nicholas M Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Plant Restoration ◽  
Exotic Earthworms ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
The Impact

New Zealand has 23 exotic and more than 200 endemic earthworm species. Endemic earthworms disappeared quickly after vegetation clearance and land conversion to agriculture from the early C19th. Environmental changes associated with agronomic practices are believed to have been the main drivers for their disappearance. Exotic earthworms introduced from Europe have since largely replaced endemic earthworms into farming systems and have been intentionally propagated to increase production. Little is known about potential competition between endemic and exotic earthworms in New Zealand, and the capacity of exotic earthworms to extend their range into native habitats. Using two sites in the South Island of New Zealand, we investigated the impact of restoring native vegetation on earthworm communities. The study sites were Quail Island (Banks Peninsula), which has been undergoing native plant restoration for more than 30 years, and the Punakaiki Coastal Restoration Project (West Coast) where 130,000 native trees have been planted in retired pasture in the last seven years. At each site, soil samples (20 x 20 x 20 cm) were collected and hand sorted for earthworms. Sequential restoration plantings revealed that recolonisation by endemic earthworms increases with time after restoration at the two sample sites. With increasing age of the restoration, the biomass of endemic earthworm significantly increased, as did abundance at Punakaiki. However, exotic species did not disappear after restoration of native vegetation, even after 30 years in Quail Island. The persistence of exotic species leads to the cohabitation of the two communities and potential for interspecific competition.

scholarly journals Diversity and impacts of key grassland and forage arthropod pests in China and New Zealand: An overview of IPM and biosecurity opportunities

NeoBiota ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 137-168
Author(s):  
Mark R. McNeill ◽  
Xiongbing Tu ◽  
Colin M. Ferguson ◽  
Liping Ban ◽  
Scott Hardwick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Forage Species ◽  
Trading Partners ◽  
The Impact

For both New Zealand and China, agriculture is integral to the economy, supporting primary production in both intensive and extensive farming systems. Grasslands have important ecosystem and biodiversity functions, as well providing valuable grazing for livestock. However, production and persistence of grassland and forage species (e.g. alfalfa) is not only compromised by overgrazing, climate change and habitat fragmentation, but from a range of pests and diseases, which impose considerable costs on growers in lost production and income. Some of these pest species are native, but increasingly, international trade is seeing the rapid spread of exotic and invasive species. New Zealand and China are major trading partners with significant tourist flow between the two countries. This overview examines the importance of grasslands and alfalfa in both countries, the current knowledge on the associated insect pest complex and biocontrol options. Identifying similarities and contrasts in biology and impacts along with some prediction on the impact of invasive insect species, especially under climate change, are possible. However, it is suggested that coordinated longitudinal ecological research, carried out in both countries using sentinel grass and forage species, is critical to addressing gaps in our knowledge of biology and impact of potential pests, along with identifying opportunities for control, particularly using plant resistance or biological control.

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