scholarly journals Profitability of Crop Cultivation in Small Arable Fields When Taking Economic Values of Ecosystem Services into Account

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13354
Author(s):  
Daniel Nilsson ◽  
Håkan Rosenqvist
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Field Size ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Arable Fields ◽  
Dynamic Simulation Model ◽  
Small Fields

Small arable fields are beneficial with regard to ecosystem services, e.g., concerning biodiversity. By selecting appropriate crops and cultivation practices, arable fields can also be used as carbon sinks. The objectives of this study were to investigate what impact field conditions (e.g., field size and shape) and payments (subsidies) for environmental benefits have on profitability. A dynamic simulation model was used to simulate machine operations in fields of two different shapes and five different sizes (from 0.75 to 12.00 ha). A wide range of crops cultivated in Sweden were investigated (fallow land and plantation of Norway spruce were also included). A perimeter-based subsidy was suggested in order to conserve and promote biodiversity, and an area- and crop-based subsidy was suggested in order to promote sequestration of soil organic carbon (SOC). The results showed that, without financial support and from a purely economic point of view, most field types investigated should be planted with Norway spruce. With currently available subsidies, e.g., EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) direct payments, hybrid aspen, poplar, fallow, and extensive ley cultivation are the most profitable crops. Perimeter-based subsidies favoured the net gain for small fields. As expected, a subsidy for sequestration of SOC favoured cultivation of specific SOC-sequestering crops such as ley, willow, and poplar. Our recommendation for future studies is to investigate a well-balanced combination of perimeter-based support and SOC sequestration support that benefits biodiversity and climate under different cultivation conditions.

Urban Hazard Adaptation: Efficiency of a Green Infrastructure in an Italian metropolis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Busca ◽  
Roberto Revelli
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Atmospheric Pollutants ◽  
Water Runoff ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Economic Point

<p>In recent years, safeguarding approaches and environmental management initiatives have been adopted both by international institutions and local governments , aimed at sustainable use of natural resources and their restoration, in order to manage hazard level of climate change consequences (urban flooding, droughts and water shortages, sea level rise, issues with food security).</p><p>Cities represent the main collectors of these effects, consequently they need to implement specific adaptation plans mitigating consequences of such future events: Green Infrastructures (G.I.) fall within the most effective tools for achieving the goal. In the urban context, they also identify themselves as valid strategies for biodiversity recovery and ecological functions.</p><p>This work analyzes the role of a G.I. in an urban environment, with the aim of quantifying Ecosystem Services (E.S.) provided by vegetation: through usage of <em>i-Tree</em>, specific software suite for E.S. quantification, the sustainability offered by “Le Vallere” park, a 34-hectares greenspace spread between municipalities of Turin and Moncalieri (Italy), was analyzed, in collaboration with the related management institution (<em>Ente di gestione delle Aree Protette del Po torinese</em>). The study, carried out using two specific tools (<em>i-Tree Eco and i-Tree Hydro</em>), focuses on different aspects: carbon sequestration and storage, atmospheric pollutants reduction, avoided water runoff and water quality improvement are just some of the environmental benefits generated by tree population. Tools enable to carry out the analysis also from an economic point of view, evaluating monetary benefits brought by the green infrastructure both at present day and in the future,  taking into account climate change effects through projections based on the regional climatic model COSMO-CLM (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios).</p><p>The work led to deepen potential held by the greenspace, helping the cooperating management institution  to plan future territorial agenda and to find innovative approaches for an integrated and sustainable hazard control.</p>

Outlining a stepwise, multi-parameter debris flow monitoring and warning system: an example of application in Aizi Valley, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ningsheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flow ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
Vibration Sensors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Critical Rainfall

<p>Abstract: In recent years, the increasing frequency of debris flow demands enhanced effectiveness and efficiency are essential not only from an economic point of view but are also considered as a frontline approach to alleviate hazards. Currently, the key issues are the imbalance between the limited lifespan of equipment, the relatively long period between the recurrences of such hazards, and the wide range of critical rainfall that trigger these disasters. This paper attempt to provide a stepwise multi-parameter debris flow warning system after taking into account the shortcomings observed in other warning systems. The whole system is divided into five stages. Different warning levels can be issued based on the critical rainfall thresholds. Monitoring starts when early warning is issued and it continues with debris flow near warning, movement warning and hazard warning stages. For early warning, historical archives of earthquake and drought are used to choose a debris flow susceptible site for further monitoring, Secondly, weather forecasts provide an alert of possible near warning. Hazardous precipitation, model calculation and debris flow initiation tests, pore pressure sensors and water content sensors are combined to check the critical rainfall and to publically announce a triggering warning. In the final two stages, equipment such as rainfall gauges, flow stage sensors, vibration sensors, low sound sensors and infrasound meters are used to assess movement processes and issue hazard warnings. In addition to these warnings, community-based knowledge and information is also obtained and discussed in detail. The proposed stepwise, multi-parameter debris flow monitoring and warning system has been applied in Aizi valley China which continuously monitors the debris flow activities.</p>

Emission Distribution and Regulation of Local Heat Source

2012 ◽  
Vol 326-328 ◽  
pp. 330-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Valíček ◽  
Jana Müllerová ◽  
Vlastimil Kuběna ◽  
Pavel Koštial ◽  
Marta Harničárová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Local Heating ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Automated Method ◽  
Wide Range

Pollutants can be classified according to their chemical composition, harmfulness, hazardousness, risk rate and toxicity. The most monitored pollutants are particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), organic substances which are in the form of gaseous phase in waste gases expressed as total organic carbon, dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans [1-3]. Other pollutants are divided into several groups and subgroups, such as substances with carcinogenic effects (asbestos, Co, Cd, Be, Ni, As, Cr, dioxins, etc.), solid inorganic contaminants (He, Se, animony, and others) and inorganic pollutants in the form of gases (HCl, HF, ammonia, etc.), organic gases and vapours (phenol, toluene, acetone and many others) and gases causing the greenhouse effect (CO2, methane, N2O, hydrofluorocarbons, etc.). The term particulate matter, or suspended matter refers to the emissions of a wide range of wind drift solids and liquid particles of material in size from several nanometres up to 0.5 mm, which stay in the air for some time. This is a major component of atmospheric pollution, which contributes to harmful effects not only on human health but also on intensity of materials degradation. Into the atmosphere, where we can meet them, regardless of particle size and chemical composition, in the form of a complex heterogeneous mixture, they are released from burning fossil fuels and also from burning biomass-based fuels, while domestic heating accounts for about 16% of the total production of particulate matter [4,5,6]. This percentage represents a degree of imperfect combustion of fuels used in local heating. Emissions from incomplete combustion are undesirable from the point of view of human health as well as from the economic point of view, because this leads to the degradation of materials. Nevertheless, since fuel combustion is necessary for the society, emissions are still produced. This paper presents an automated method of perfect combustion control in local heating in order to minimize emissions being produced.

scholarly journals Direct Current (DC) Motor Speed and Direction Controller

2021 ◽  
Vol 2129 (1) ◽  
pp. 012035
Author(s):  
Nurshahirah Shaharudin ◽  
Mohd Zamri Hasan ◽  
Syatirah Mohd Noor
Keyword(s):  
Direct Current ◽  
Pulse Width Modulation ◽  
Speed Control ◽  
Dc Motor ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Motor Speed ◽  
Variable Speed Drives ◽  
Variable Resistor ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract The direct current motor is an important drive configuration for many applications across a wide range of power and speeds. It has variable characteristics and is used extensively in variable-speed drives. The goals of this project are to control the direction and speed of a Direct Current (DC) motor. Due to the advancement of wireless technology, there are several communication devices introduced such as GSM, Wi-Fi, ZIGBEE and Bluetooth. Each of the connections has its own unique specification and application. Among these wireless connections, Bluetooth technology is often implemented and can be sent from the mobile phone at a distance of 10 meters. The speed control was implemented using Bluetooth technology to provide communication access from a smartphone. Instead, the ARDUINO UNO platform can be used to quickly promote electronic systems. And an electronics technique is called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) is used to achieve speed control, and this technique generates high and low pulses, then these pulses vary the speed in the motor. In order to control this PWM pulse, variable resistors are used and depend on it the speed of the DC motor will increase or decrease. The variable resistor is adjusting to varying the speed of the motor, and the higher the resistance the lower the speed of the motor rotates. The direction of the motor is controlled by the relay by giving and giving a command on the virtual terminal. The speed of the motor is directly proportional to the resistance as the speed increased after the resistance also increased and vice versa. The significance of this study is practical and highly feasible from the economic point of view and has the advantage of running the motor at a higher rating in term of a reliable, durable, accurate and efficient way of controlling speed and direction control.

Cryptospordiosis: An infectious emerging protozoan zoonosis of public health significance

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 161-163
Author(s):  
Mahendra Pal ◽  
Mati Roba Bulcha ◽  
Adugna Girma Lema ◽  
Sena Roba Bulcha
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Watery Diarrhea ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Source Of Infection ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Hygienic Measures

Zoonoses caused by diverse etiological agents, are important from public health and economic point of view, and are reported in humans and animals from developing and developed nations of the world. Cryptosporidiosis is an emerging food and waterborne zoonotic protozoan disease that has been detected in both human and animal populations all over the world. The source of infection is exogenous, and the ingestion of contaminated food and water is the principal mode of transmission. The oocysts of Cryptosporidium are abundant and pervasive in ambient water, where they can survive for months. It prefers epithelial cells found in the digestive tracts of a wide range of hosts. Waterborne transmission through drinking water or a swimming pool is common, resulting in outbreaks in several nations throughout the world. The disease can manifest itself in sporadic or epidemic forms. The infection has been recorded in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. The watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, anorexia and low grade fever are most commonly observed symptoms. The laboratory help is required to make an unequivocal diagnosis of disease. The preventive strategies include excellent hygienic measures to avoid the contamination of food and water by oocysts of Cryptosporidium. In addition, the role of veterinarian is highly imperative for the management of disease in domestic animals.

scholarly journals Mites (Acari) important in different agroecosystems and their control in Romania*

Zoosymposia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
IOAN ROSCA ◽  
MINODORA GUTUE ◽  
CATALIN GUTUE
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Active Ingredients ◽  
Polyphagotarsonemus Latus ◽  
Commercial Products ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Broad Mite

Mite problems in different agroecosystems in Romania are presented. Of all phytophagousmites known in the country, four species are found on a wide range of crops, with the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, and the broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks), being the most important. The broad mite is difficult to control, but acaricides registered in Romania have provided effective control of this species. Reduction of highly toxic pesticide residues in the environment has been considered important in the country. That could be approached by first reducing the amount of pesticides applied on agricultural land, and second, by finding new pesticides with less toxic active ingredients. This has resulted in reduced numbers of the main groups of pesticides, commercial products and number of active substances. The number of available commercial products varied from12 in 1972–1979 to five in 1980–1989, ten in 1990–1996, four in 1997–2004 and six in 2010, based on five active ingredients. The causes of the decreasing numbers of acaricide products or active ingredients were the reduced availability of several active ingredients due to toxicological or environmental reasons and the high registration cost. Only three acaricides (Envidor 240 SC, Nissorun 10WP and Omite 570 EC) and one insecticide/acaricide (Seizer 10 EC) are at present commonly used in Romanian agriculture.At the same time, from the economic point of view, biological control is impractical if not impossible to be applied in commercial crop production under Romanian economical conditions of farmers in absence of subsidies. EU and Romanian policies are discussed.

scholarly journals Features of introduction of biogas technologies in the conditions of industrial enterprises of the metallurgical industry

2019 ◽  
pp. 49-54
Author(s):  
Kovalenko Viktor ◽  
Kuznetsova Alisa ◽  
Kuznetsov Vitalii
Keyword(s):  
Calorific Value ◽  
Metallurgical Industry ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Iron Sulfate ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Industrial Enterprises ◽  
Heating Furnaces ◽  
Wide Range

The paper analyzes and classifies the advantages and disadvantages of existing technologies for cleaning hydrogen sulfide and increasing calorific value by enriching biogas mixtures from various sources. Among them are identified those that are most acceptable from an economic point of view for implementation in heavy industry. A list of available methods and relatively inexpensive reagents for the treatment of biogas in the conditions of metallurgical enterprises, among which technical and ammonia water, waste from steel pickling processes in the form of iron sulfate, and others, is established. The main fuel characteristics of biogas of various origin and composition and natural gas are compared in determining the directions of using alternative fuel in industrial heating plants. It was determined that thermal and heating furnaces have the greatest potential for adaptation to biogas combustion, since such units are able to work in a wide range of quality, fuel consumption and calorific value. Since the scientific base regarding the possible conversion of these plants to biogas is unstructured, and in many aspects is absent, the creation of appropriate methods, mathematical apparatus and algorithmic tools in this direction is an urgent task. Keywords: energy efficiency, biogas technologies, biogas, gas, purification, enrichment, industrial furnaces, economic feasibility

scholarly journals The potential of plant and fungal proteins in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes from animals

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-345
Author(s):  
Alexandra Martins dos Santos Soares ◽  
Lêdia Feitosa Wanderley ◽  
Livio Martins Costa Junior
Keyword(s):  
Active Site ◽  
Anthelmintic Resistance ◽  
Gastrointestinal Nematode ◽  
Gastrointestinal Nematodes ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Nematode Control ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Proteins And Peptides

Abstract Gastrointestinal nematode infection is an important cause of high economic losses in livestock production. Nematode control based on a synthetic chemical approach is considered unsustainable due to the increasing incidence of anthelmintic resistance. Control alternatives such as the use of natural products are therefore becoming relevant from an environmental and economic point of view. Proteins are macromolecules with various properties that can be obtained from a wide range of organisms, including plants and fungi. Proteins belonging to different classes have shown great potential for the control of nematodes. The action of proteins can occur at specific stages of the nematode life cycle, depending on the composition of the external layers of the nematode body and the active site of the protein. Advances in biotechnology have resulted in the emergence of numerous protein and peptide therapeutics; however, few have been discussed with a focus on the control of animal nematodes. Here, we discuss the use of exogenous proteins and peptides in the control of gastrointestinal.

scholarly journals Environmental Benefits of Reusable Modular Mass Timber Construction for Residential use in Japan: an LCA Approach

2019 ◽  
pp. 157-164
Author(s):  
Rafael Novais Passarelli
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Modular Construction ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Lifecycle Assessment ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Mass Timber

The demand for wooden buildings in Japan consistently reaches figures over 50 million square meters per year. However, the building industry in Japan is based on the constant renewal of the building stock, leading to a short average lifespan, and an unsustainable and wasteful system both from the environmental and economic point of view. As an alternative to this situation, this study assesses the environmental benefits of a modular mass timber system using CLT, designed for consecutive reuse. First, the study presents an award-winning proposal for a modular, reusable mass timber system for residential construction in Japan. After, the study calculates the Global Warming Potential of construction (GWP) of the reusable system in comparison to a conventional mass timber system (benchmark), using the Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) method. The study evaluates the proposed system in two different locations, within 60 years. Three different scenarios for forest resources are considered during the above time-frame, namely stable forest (standard), growing forest (optimistic) and decreasing forest resources (pessimist) to understand how changes in the carbon flow of forests could impact the environmental output of the construction. The results show a modular construction system can be used to provide high-quality dwellings in Japan leading to a significant potential for mitigating the impacts of construction on the environment. More specifically, a growing forest scenario provides the smallest GWP, more than 100% smaller than the benchmark.

scholarly journals Design, rheology and microstructure of food-grade emulsion-based systems for delivery of vitamin D

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Vitamin D3 ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Milk Powder ◽  
Protein Isolate ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Scattering Method ◽  
Flow Behavior Index ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Wide Range

The fortification of food with vitamin D has several limitations because this group of fat-soluble compounds may degrade or undergo undesirable changes during technologic processing and storage of food. The purpose of this study was to investigate emulsions for vitamin D3 delivery in commercial foods. Oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions stabilized by mixture of various proteins (whey protein isolate (WPI), skimmed milk powder (SMP) and vegan protein isolate (VPI)) as emulsifiers and carboxymethylcellulose as thickening agent were used. The shear stress and effective dynamic viscosity of the emulsions in the wide range of shear rates were experimentally determined. By approximating experimental flow curves using the power-law model, the values of the consistency coefficient and flow behavior index were obtained, which made it possible to classify the emulsions as systems with pseudoplastic flow. Within the framework of the structural approach, the rheological data were analyzed on the basis of the generalized rheological model of Casson. The contributions to the process of viscous flow calculated from the experimental data from the integral characteristics of associates of droplets and individual particles during their hydrodynamic interaction made it possible to explain the effect of changing the viscosity of emulsions from the nature of the emulsifier used. The zeta potential values determined by the dynamic light scattering method indicate the existence of a strong repulsive force as a factor for the stability of emulsions. The sign of the potential and its magnitude indicate the process of adsorption on the surface of fat droplets molecule of protein. The presence of a peak of flocculated particles in the histograms of the particle size distribution is explained by the presence of non-adsorbing polysaccharides, which are capable of the generation of aggregated emulsion structures through depletion flocculation. Regardless of the choice of the type and nature of the protein emulsifier - animal or plant origin, all studied systems were stable and can be considered for use as emulsion-based delivery systems of vitamin D. From an economic point of view, it is advisable to use dry milk as an emulsifier. The resulting emulsions can be used as a basis for the production of vitamin D3-fortified foods, in particular for dairy products.

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