scholarly journals Roadmap for the European Joint Program SOIL: Towards Climate-Smart Sustainable Management of Agricultural Soils

Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Visser Saskia ◽  
Keesstra Saskia ◽  
Ní Choncubhair Órlaith ◽  
Mulder Titia ◽  
Costantini Edoardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Knowledge Development ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Joint Programming ◽  
And Storage

Our planet suffers from humankind’s impact on natural resources, biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems. Intensive modern agriculture with inappropriate inputs of fertilisers, pesticides and fossil fuel –based energy has increasingly added to human pressure on the environment. As a key element of our natural capital, soils are also under threat, despite being essential to provide food, feed, fibre and fuel for an increasing global population. Moreover, soils play a key role in carbon, water and energy cycles, highlighting their importance for biomass provision and the circular bioeconomy. Evidently, these new and complex challenges cannot be resolved effectively with existing knowledge and experience alone. These challenges require scientific research, interdisciplinary collaboration and networking to find context-specific and tailored solutions addressing societal issues of our time and facilitating the adoption of these solutions. The most effective approaches are based on the involvement of multiple actors from science, policy, economy, civil society and farming that have the same goal, work on the same societal issue, but have complementing backgrounds, expertise and perceptions. The European Joint Programme (EJP) SOIL is a European network of research institutes in the field of soil science and agricultural soil management that will provide science-based advice to practitioners and policymakers, at local, national and European level. The EJP SOIL aims to align and boost research, training and capacity building through joint programming activities co-funded by the European Commission and national research programs. This will reduce current fragmentation and help to find synergies in order to make a leapfrog in research on good agricultural soil management in three main areas: climate change mitigation and adaptation, production capacity in healthy food systems, and environmental sustainability. By joint programming, training and capacity building, EJP SOIL will also take into account the need for effective policy solutions, as well as the socio-economic conditions of all stakeholders in the agricultural value chain. Thus, a key focus of the EJP SOIL is to build and strengthen a framework for an integrated community of research groups working on related aspects of agricultural soil management. As part of this effort, EJP SOIL will co-construct with stakeholders a roadmap for agricultural soil research. To develop a structured roadmap, EJP SOIL works with a version of the knowledge management framework of Dalkir (2005). The EJP version uses four compartments: (i) Knowledge development, (ii) knowledge harmonisation, organisation and storage (iii) knowledge sharing and transfer, and (iv) knowledge application. The four segments are part of a cyclic process to enhance the development and use of knowledge on agricultural soils. Knowledge development comprises assessing new knowledge needs to achieve the expected impacts of EJP SOIL. Therefore, by involving multiple stakeholders, knowledge gaps across Europe will be identified to work towards the adoption of Climate-Smart Sustainable Agricultural Soil Management (CSSASM). Within the knowledge sharing and transfer compartment, the capacity of scientists, advisors, policy makers, farmers and other stakeholders will be strengthened. EJP SOIL will work to support networks and co-creation of new knowledge with stakeholder groups, stimulating innovation in CSSASM. The knowledge harmonization, organization and storage compartment of the knowledge framework ensures linkages with all stakeholders to guarantee data harmonization and standardization. The last compartment, application of knowledge, will be facilitated by creating better guidelines, awareness and capacity for Climate-Smart Sustainable Agricultural Soil Management adoption and by strengthening science-to-policy processes at EU and Member State level.

scholarly journals Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are integral to nitrogen cycling in a highly fertile agricultural soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laibin Huang ◽  
Seemanti Chakrabarti ◽  
Jennifer Cooper ◽  
Ana Perez ◽  
Sophia M. John ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Cycle ◽  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria ◽  
Central Process ◽  
Soil Nitrification ◽  
Plant Nitrogen ◽  
Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea ◽  
Activity Measurements ◽  
Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria

AbstractNitrification is a central process in the global nitrogen cycle, carried out by a complex network of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), complete ammonia-oxidizing (comammox) bacteria, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Nitrification is responsible for significant nitrogen leaching and N2O emissions and thought to impede plant nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural systems. However, the actual contribution of each nitrifier group to net rates and N2O emissions remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that highly fertile agricultural soils with high organic matter mineralization rates could allow a detailed characterization of N cycling in these soils. Using a combination of molecular and activity measurements, we show that in a mixed AOA, AOB, and comammox community, AOA outnumbered low diversity assemblages of AOB and comammox 50- to 430-fold, and strongly dominated net nitrification activities with low N2O yields between 0.18 and 0.41 ng N2O–N per µg NOx–N in cropped, fallow, as well as native soil. Nitrification rates were not significantly different in plant-covered and fallow plots. Mass balance calculations indicated that plants relied heavily on nitrate, and not ammonium as primary nitrogen source in these soils. Together, these results imply AOA as integral part of the nitrogen cycle in a highly fertile agricultural soil.

scholarly journals Building Educational Research Capacity: Challenges and Opportunities From the Perspectives of Faculty Members at a National University in Oman

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110326
Author(s):  
Waheed Hammad ◽  
Wajeha Al-Ani
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Educational Research ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
National University ◽  
Group Interviews

The purpose of this article is to explore the perceptions of faculty members regarding research capacity building in the field of Education. It particularly seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with this practice from the perspectives of these members. The study adopted a qualitative research design, using focus group interviews to collect data from a sample of faculty members in the College of Education at a national university in Oman. The results revealed the existence of some challenges that hampered educational research, including time constraints, the lack of a collaborative research culture, the lack of research training, and the absence of a clear research agenda. The analysis also identified a number of capacity building opportunities such as a research-supportive environment, the availability of research funding, and the role of research groups. The study concludes with some recommendations to improve educational research capacity both in Oman and in the Arab region in general.

scholarly journals Possibilities of the Use of Aerial Photographs in the Protection of Agricultural Soil Fund

Geografie ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-95
Author(s):  
Zdeněk Lipský
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Water Erosion ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Soil Wetting

The author considers two main processes showing a negative influence on the quality and use of agricultural soils, namely water erosion and wetting. The paper treats of general advantages of aerial photographs. Practical examples are presented of direct and indirect interpretation of erosion phenomena and soil wetting by means of black-and-white, multispectral and infrared aerial photographs. In the conclusion, the main spheres of the problem of the soil fund protection are dealt with. Most of these problems could be solved by the application of aerial photographs.

Accumulation of As and Pb in Vegetables Grown in Agricultural Soils Contaminated by Historical Mining in Zacatecas, Mexico

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Salas Muñoz ◽  
Elvia Valdez Valdez ◽  
Jorge Armando Mauricio Castillo ◽  
Fátima Berenice Salazar Badillo ◽  
Héctor René Vega Carrillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Arsenic Concentration ◽  
Pollution Index ◽  
Lead Content ◽  
National Standard ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Historical Mining ◽  
Edible Parts

Abstract Historical mining activities are a source of environmental pollution that affects the food chain and the health of human beings. The aim of this study was assessment the accumulation of arsenic and lead in vegetables grown in agricultural soils contaminated by old mining in Zacatecas, Mexico. The concentration of arsenic and lead in agricultural soil and edible parts of carrot, garlic, and pepper was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The soil-vegetable bioconcentration factor and pollution load index were determined. The pH values of the farmland were alkaline. The concentration of arsenic in agricultural soil exceeds the permissible limit for arsenic of Mexican standards and international representing health risks. The lead content in most soil samples they were low. The arsenic and lead content in edible parts of species vegetable exceeded the national standard from various countries and the values established by the Codex Alimentarius (FAO-WHO). The highest arsenic concentration was found both in Capsicum annum and Allium sativum. The highest concentration of Pb was in pepper fruits. Among vegetable the high BCF value was for arsenic, ranging from 2.33 to 0.64, and the average for all vegetable samples was 1.01. The pollution index indicates that arsenic is the dominant pollutant accumulated in soil and vegetables grown in agricultural soils. According to the findings, the state and national agricultural and health authorities should not recommend the cultivation of vegetables in agricultural soil located in this area of historical mining activities. Likewise, preventive measures must be taken on the consumption of contaminated vegetables and certifying their safety.

Utilizing Information Science and Technology in Franchise Organizations

2018 ◽  
pp. 4822-4835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye-Sho Chen
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Knowledge Development ◽  
It Infrastructure ◽  
Wealth Creation ◽  
Good Relationship ◽  
Franchise Organizations

Franchising involves with grating and receiving business rights. In addition to the popular growth strategy for many businesses, franchising has emerged over the years as a pathway to wealth creation for entrepreneurs. In this paper we first discuss the information science of franchising, including franchisor/franchisee relationship and the essential indicators needed to pertain and flourish the good relationship; and the inevitability of collaborative learning and innovation, which leads us to the discussion of the working knowledge development among the franchisor and the fellow franchisees. Second, we discuss that an attention-based IT infrastructure that will enable the knowledge sharing and dissemination between the franchisor and the franchisee.

Examining IoT's Applications Using Cloud Services

2018 ◽  
pp. 147-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saravanan K ◽  
P. Srinivasan
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Internet Of Things ◽  
Distributed Computing ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Effective Communication ◽  
Cloud Services ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Computing Paradigm ◽  
Iot Devices ◽  
And Storage

Cloud IoT has evolved from the convergence of Cloud computing with Internet of Things (IoT). The networked devices in the IoT world grow exponentially in the distributed computing paradigm and thus require the power of the Cloud to access and share computing and storage for these devices. Cloud offers scalable on-demand services to the IoT devices for effective communication and knowledge sharing. It alleviates the computational load of IoT, which makes the devices smarter. This chapter explores the different IoT services offered by the Cloud as well as application domains that are benefited by the Cloud IoT. The challenges on offloading the IoT computation into the Cloud are also discussed.

KIIPF - An Integrated Inter-Operable Knowledge Management Process Framework for Healthcare

2020 ◽  
pp. 150-168
Author(s):  
Mohamad Fauzan Noordin ◽  
Arfan Arshad ◽  
Roslina Othman
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Management Process ◽  
Healthcare Industry ◽  
Extensive Data ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Process Framework ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
And Storage

Being complex systematically, Knowledge Management (KM) has always been challenging in the healthcare industry (HCI) of developing countries like Pakistan due to gap in acquiring and implementing KM processes. Despite the fact that extensive data and related information is available, the Pakistani HCI has been facing a major challenge due to the absence of a sound and solid KM process framework. Hence, the existing healthcare information systems in Pakistan lack the ability to control and cater the diversified nature of new knowledge creation and innovation. Consequentially, it results in inefficient and ineffective organization of knowledge along with inability to properly utilize important resources that are used for decision making activities. In this study, the researchers present and suggest an integrated and inter-operable KM process framework that helps to streamline and integrate a KM process in a phased comportment that identifies, defines, analyzes, collects and manages knowledge along with its innovation, dissemination, sharing and storage in an appropriate way.

Enhancing Academic Entrepreneurial Capability through the Creation of New Knowledge

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Talbot ◽  
Paul Ferri ◽  
Geoff Whittam ◽  
Caroline Baynham
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Triple Helix ◽  
Entrepreneurial University ◽  
Entrepreneurial Process ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Inductive Approach ◽  
Underdeveloped Area ◽  
Knowledge Deficit ◽  
New Knowledge

This paper uses the concept of the entrepreneurial university and the so-called ‘Triple Helix’ to analyse the nature of entrepreneurial capability and capacity building within a university environment. The authors analyse the operationalization of the entrepreneurial process of the entrepreneurial university as it looks to create new knowledge. According to Heinonen and Hytti (2010), this is an underdeveloped area in the literature and so there is a knowledge deficit. The authors seek to address this deficit by using an inductive approach to develop a conceptual model of the entrepreneurial process.

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