scholarly journals Energy Recovery from Invasive Species: Creation of Value Chains to Promote Control and Eradication

Recycling ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Leonel J. R. Nunes ◽  
Abel M. Rodrigues ◽  
Liliana M. E. F. Loureiro ◽  
Letícia C. R. Sá ◽  
João C. O. Matias
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Eucalyptus Globulus ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Wood Pellets ◽  
Acacia Dealbata ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Energy Production System ◽  
Control And Eradication

The use of biomass as an energy source presents itself as a viable alternative, especially at a time when the mitigation of climate change requires that all possibilities of replacing fossil fuels be used and implemented. The use of residual biomass also appears as a way to include in the renewable energy production system products that came out of it, while allowing the resolution of environmental problems, such as large volumes available, which are not used, but also by the elimination of fuel load that only contributes to the increased risk of rural fires occurrence. Invasive species contribute to a significant part of this fuel load, and its control and eradication require strong investments, so the valorization of these materials can allow the sustainability of the control and eradication processes. However, the chemical composition of some of these species, namely Acacia dealbata, Acacia melanoxylon, Eucalyptus globulus, Robinia pseudoacacia and Hakea sericea, presents some problems, mainly due to the nitrogen, chlorine and ash contents found, which preclude exclusive use for the production of certified wood pellets. In the case of Eucalyptus globulus, the values obtained in the characterization allow the use in mixtures with Pinus pinaster, but for the other species, this mixture is not possible. From a perspective of local valorization, the use of materials for domestic applications remains a possibility, creating a circular economy process that guarantees the sustainability of operations to control and eradicate invasive species.

scholarly journals Acacia dealbata Link. Aboveground Biomass Assessment: Sustainability of Control and Eradication Actions to Reduce Rural Fires Risk

Fire ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Leonel J. R. Nunes ◽  
Catarina I. R. Meireles ◽  
Carlos J. Pinto Gomes ◽  
Nuno M. C. Almeida Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Control Process ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Acacia Dealbata ◽  
Mechanical Methods ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Reducing Costs ◽  
Biomass Availability ◽  
Significant Increment

Invasive species are an environmental problem affecting worldwide ecosystems. In the case of Acacia dealbata Link., the negative impacts affect the productivity of the forests due to the competition established with native species while contributing to a significant increment in the available fuel load, increasing the risk of fire. In Portugal, chemical and mechanical methods are mostly used in the control of these species. However, the costs are often unsustainable in the medium term, being abandoned before completing the tasks, allowing the recovery of the invasive species. The establishment of value chains for the biomass resulting from these actions was pointed out by several authors as a solution for the sustainability of the control process, as it contributes to reducing costs. However, the problems in quantifying the biomass availability make it challenging to organize and optimize these actions. This work, which started from a dendrometrical analysis carried out in stands of A. dealbata, created a model to assess woody biomass availability. The model proved to be statistically significant for stands with trees younger than 20 years old. However, the amount of data collected and the configuration of the settlements analyzed do not allow extrapolation of the model presented to older settlements.

scholarly journals Intensive Agricultural Practices as Enhancers of the Dispersion of Invasive Species: Notification of the Observation of A Case with Robinia Pseudoacacia L. in Alentejo (Southern Portugal)

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Raposo ◽  
Carlos Pinto-Gomes ◽  
Leonel Nunes
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Real Problem ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
Almond Trees ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia L

Invasive forest species are a recurring problem, which in Portugal assume a somewhat mediatic role,both because of the impacts they cause on biodiversity, but also because they enhance the accumulation of high mounts of fuel load, increasing the risk of forest fires. However, in some areas of the country, such as the Alentejo (South of Portugal), the scarcity of water did not allow, until now, the dispersion and rapid growth of some of these species, namely Robinia pseudoacacia, which has always remained under control, and it was never a real problem. However, with the growth of intensive farming practices, associated with vineyards, olive groves and almond trees, water and nutrients became available, enabling this species to grow and disperse. This communication presents an observation of several sets of R. pseudoacacia specimens growing with different agricultural holdings, raising the hypothesis that intensive farming practices may, in the short term, contribute to the dispersion of invasive species in regions where they were not a problem, if the situations reported are not followed up and studies are carried out to confirm and confirm the observations described.

scholarly journals Fire as a Selection Agent for the Dissemination of Invasive Species: Case Study on the Evolution of Forest Coverage

Environments ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonel J. R. Nunes ◽  
Mauro A. M. Raposo ◽  
Catarina I. R. Meireles ◽  
Carlos J. Pinto Gomes ◽  
Nuno M. C. Almeida Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Acacia Dealbata ◽  
Natural Park ◽  
Forest Coverage ◽  
Serra Da Estrela ◽  
Selection Agent

Climate change has enhanced the occurrence of rural fires, since changes in the hydrological cycle have led to the occurrence of increasingly long and frequent periods of drought. This recurrence of rural fires in Portugal, in turn, has led to the successive elimination of vast areas traditionally occupied by native species or species of economic interest, which are being successively replaced by new species with invasive behavior. Among these, Acacia dealbata stands out for its dispersion capacity and for the area it has already occupied. In the present work, which reviews the evolution of forest cover over the last 18,000 years in the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, we intend to demonstrate that fire acts as a species selection agent and that it enhances the development of heliophile and pyrophyte species. For this purpose, an area of the municipality of Seia was selected, more specifically Casal do Rei, where the development of Acacia dealbata forests is monitored. In the end, it was concluded that, in fact, by analyzing the ages of the specimens present in these populations, fire acts as a selection agent by freeing up the space previously occupied by other species, opening the way for the growth of heliophiles and pyrophytes invasive species while enhancing their germination.

scholarly journals Investigation of Pellet Properties Produced from a Mix of Straw and Paper Sludge

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (16) ◽  
pp. 5450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radovan Nosek ◽  
Sebastian Werle ◽  
Aleksandra Borsukiewicz ◽  
Agnieszka Żelazna ◽  
Grzegorz Łagód
Keyword(s):  
Melting Temperature ◽  
Heat Exchangers ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Paper Sludge ◽  
Wood Pellets ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Global Energy Consumption

Global energy consumption is increasing every year, and, despite their many negative impacts, fossil fuels are a major source of energy, but their reserves are gradually depleting. One of the promising but underutilized resources is plant biomass (phytomass). The main problem of plant biomass combustion is the low melting temperature of ash, but there are also problems with corrosion of heat exchangers and clogging of heat-exchanging surfaces. This work is concerned with the production of straw pellets in order to increase the melting temperature of ash by adding an additive. The paper sludge contains substances that can increase the melting point of ash and was therefore added to the pellet samples. This additive was mixed with straw in ratios from 90:10, 80:20 and 70:30 (straw/paper sludge). The use of paper sludge showed positive effects on increasing the melting temperature of the ash samples. The deformation temperature of the ash has already risen from 1020 to 1260 °C after the addition of 10% sludge, which is comparable to wood pellets.

scholarly journals Comparing Negative Impacts of Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra and Robinia pseudoacacia on Native Forest Ecosystems

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gentili ◽  
Ferrè ◽  
Cardarelli ◽  
Montagnani ◽  
Bogliani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Quercus Rubra ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽  
Prunus Serotina ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Alien Plant Species ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Negative Impacts

The introduction of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) can modify plant-soil feedback, resulting in an alteration of the abiotic and biotic characteristics of ecosystems. Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra and Robinia pseudoacacia are IAPS of European temperate forests, where they can become dominant and suppress the native biodiversity. Assuming that the establishment of these invasive species may alter native forest ecosystems, this study comparatively assessed their impact on ecosystems. This study further investigated plant communities in 12 forest stands, dominated by the three IAPS and native trees, Quercus robur and Carpinus betulus (three plots per forest type), in Northern Italy, and collected soil samples. The relationships between the invasion of the three IAPS and modifications of humus forms, soil chemical properties, soil biological quality, bacterial activity and plant community structure and diversity (α-, β-, and γ-diversity) were assessed using one-way ANOVA and redundancy analyses (RDA). Our comparative study demonstrated that invaded forests often had unique plant and/or soil properties, relative to native forests, and the degree of dissimilarity depended on the invasive species. Particularly, Q. rubra is related to major negative impacts on soil organic horizons and low/modified levels of microarthropod and plant biodiversity. R. pseudoacacia is associated with an altered base content of soil and, in turn, with positive feedback to the soil biological quality (QBS-ar) and plant diversity, but with a high cover compared with other alien plant species. P. serotina is associated with intermediate impacts and exhibits a plant species assemblage that is more similar to those of native forest stands. Our work suggests impact-based management decisions for the three investigated IAPS, since their effects on the diversity and composition of resident ecosystems are very different.

scholarly journals Inventory of leaf and flower odorants in plants associated with the life cycle of Japanese Papilio butterflies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi A. Inoue ◽  
Hitomi Otani ◽  
Kinuko Niihara ◽  
Tatsuya Fukuda
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Robinia Pseudoacacia ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Complete Agreement ◽  
Tropical Species ◽  
Foeniculum Vulgare ◽  
Leaf Volatiles ◽  
Anthriscus Sylvestris ◽  
Heracleum Lanatum

Abstract The odorants of eight Japanese mainland native species (Citrus x deliciosa, Zanthoxylum ailanthoides, Z. schinifolium, Z. piperitum, Phellodendron amurense, Orixa japonica, Skimmia japonica, and Boenninghausenia albiflora), one tropical species (Euodia meliifolia), and one invasive species (Ruta graveolens) of the Rutaceae family and three Japanese mainland native species (Angelica keiske, Heracleum lanatum, Anthriscus sylvestris, and one invasive species (Foeniculum vulgare) of the Apiaceae family were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with dynamic–headspace and thermal–desorption methods. These plants are hostplants to Japanese Papilio butterflies. Herein, these 14 plants were classified into six major groups based on the odorant volatiles, which did not correspond to the current phylogenetic classification. Similarly, floral odorant analysis of the six plant species (Clerodendrum trichotomum, Cayratia japonica, Robinia pseudoacacia, Lonicera japonica, C. deliciosa, Z. ailanthoides) visited by Papilio butterflies for nectaring, revealed the presence of linalool in all the flowers. Floral volatiles in C. deliciosa and Z. ailanthoides exhibited moderate resemblance to their respective leaf volatiles. Interestingly, our results in C. trichotomum was not in complete agreement with previous reports, emphasizing the need for newer methods of extraction and analysis.

Densidad básica de la madera y poder calorífico en vástagos de tres cultivos dendroenergéticos

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (47) ◽  
pp. 253-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio Cesar Rios Saucedo ◽  
Rafael Rubilar Pons ◽  
Jorge Cancino Cancino ◽  
Eduardo Acuña Carmona ◽  
José Javier Corral Rivas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eucalyptus Globulus ◽  
Acacia Dealbata

La densidad básica (DB) y poder calorífico superior (PCS) son atributos importantes en la producción de biomasa con fines dendroenergéticos. El objetivo de la presente investigación consistió en determinar la densidad básica de la madera y el poder calorífico superior en vástagos provenientes de tocones de tres cultivos dendroenergéticos. El estudio se realizó en la región del Biobío, Chile, en una plantación de Eucalyptus globulus, E. denticulata y Acacia dealbata con densidades de 5 000, 10 000 y 15 000 árboles por hectárea. Se observaron diferencias para DB de la madera entre especies y E. denticulata registró el nivel más alto en las tres densidades de plantación, con valores entre 0.46 y 0.49 g cm-3. Eucalyptus globulus y A. dealbata mostraron DB similar, con valores entre 0.38 y 0.45 g cm-3. El PCS presentó diferencias entre taxones, en cada tipo de vástago (adventicios y proventicios). Las hojas de vástagos proventicios tuvieron el PCS más alto, con valores de 5 280 kcal kg-1 (22.1 MJ kg-1) en E. globulus; 5 150 kcal kg-1 (21.5 MJ kg-1) en E. denticulata y 4 927 kcal kg-1 (20.6 MJ kg-1) en A. dealbata. En tallos y ramas se observaron niveles de PCS de 4 399 kcal kg-1 (18.4 MJ kg-1) a 4 691 kcal kg-1 (19.6 MJ kg-1). En los vástagos proventicios de E. globulus, E. denticulata y, en menor medida, A. dealbata se registraron valores aceptables para DB y PCS, lo que hace recomendable su uso con fines dendroenergéticos. Se sugieren podas y aclareos para manejar dos vástagos proventicios por tocón y con ello mejorar la DB y el PCS.

scholarly journals OCCUPATIONAL RISK FACTORS FOR DEMENTIA IN A SAMPLE OF OLDER ADULTS COVERED BY THE IRANIAN OIL INDUSTRIES’ HEALTH CENTERS, 2018

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Ghassemzadeh ◽  
Ahmadali Akbari Kamrani ◽  
Yadollah Abolfathi Momtaz ◽  
Mehdi Rassafiani ◽  
Fatemeh Nourhashemi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Head Injuries ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Occupational Risk ◽  
Occupational Risk Factors ◽  
Dementia Risk ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
And Gender

Here is a new case of dementia in the world every three seconds. It kills more people in the US than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, while it is the number one killer in England and Wales. The current cost of the disease is about a trillion US dollars a year, and that is forecast to double by 2030.Object: The aim of this study was to determine the probable occupational and environmental risk factors of dementia among the retirees of Iranian oil industries. Methods: A case-control study of 551 randomly selected older adults, all aged 60 and above including 180 demented and 371 nondemented retirees, pair matched for education and gender, was conducted. We evaluated the adjusted associations between dementia risk and the probable occupational and environmental variables through multiple logistic regression.Results: A history of exposure to air pollution (Adjusted OR=2.00, 95%CI= 1.00-7.00), head injuries (Adjusted OR=2.00, 95%CI= 1.00-6.00) and more than 20 years of work in the operational fields (Adjusted OR=5.00, 95%CI= 3.00-8.00) was significantly correlated with an increased risk of dementia. We could not find any significant associations between dementia risk and exposure to fossil fuels, solvents, noise pollution and or a combination of occupational risk factors. Conclusion: The results propose that long-term exposure to field occupational risk factors is likely to increase the risk of dementia. We suggest simultaneous serial oil industries’ particulate evaluations with proper cognitive assessments for the pre-retired staff

scholarly journals Carbon Sequestration Potential of Forest Invasive Species: A Case Study with Acacia dealbata Link

Resources ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Leonel Nunes ◽  
Mauro Raposo ◽  
Catarina Meireles ◽  
Carlos Gomes ◽  
Nuno Ribeiro
Keyword(s):  
Economic Implications ◽  
Acacia Dealbata ◽  
Carbon Sequestration Potential ◽  
Sequestration Potential ◽  
Production Forests ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Mitigate Climate Change ◽  
Control And Eradication

Biological invasions are of complex solution, consuming resources for their control and eradication. However, in many of the documented processes that are available, this is an attempt with no solution in sight. The possibility of increasing the pressure over these species while creating value chains has been presented as a method for ensuring the sustainability of their control and eradication processes. In the case of invasive forest species in Portugal, such as Acacia dealbata Link, this control is becoming increasingly important. In addition to the negative impacts on biodiversity, the proliferation of this species has economic implications due to its competition with forest production species such as Pinus pinaster Aiton and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. Another critical aspect to be considered is the increase of the risk of rural fires, which is enhanced by the accumulation of low-value biomass around production forests. In this work, the possibility of using this species as a vehicle for the capture and sequestration of carbon in the medium and long-term was evaluated from a perspective of providing ecosystem services as a measure to mitigate climate change. However, due to its highly heliophilous character, it was found that the growth capacity of this species is rapidly conditioned by the position of each tree within a stand, not being able to maintain that capacity in the medium and long term.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document