Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Naor S. Fialho, Wagner C. Valenti, Fernanda S. David, Elisa M. Godoy, Danilo C. Proenca, Rodrigo Roubach, Guilherme Wolff Bueno
Summary: This study evaluated the environmental sustainability of Nile tilapia net-cage farms of different sizes using environmental sustainability indicators and benchmarks. Results showed that environmental sustainability is independent of farm size, with factors like feed composition, management techniques, and water temperature being more critical. The use of benchmarking tools can provide reference values for each environmental sustainability indicator, allowing improvements to reach desirable states.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Aaron M. Shew, Lawton L. Nalley, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Kylie Meredith, Ranjan Parajuli, Greg Thoma, Christopher G. Henry
Summary: This study evaluates the economic and environmental benefits of Multiple Inlet Rice Irrigation (MIRI) funded by the Rice Checkoff, providing a holistic picture of the impacts of water conservation projects on Arkansas rice producers. This research showcases the cost savings, water conservation value, and reduced environmental impacts associated with MIRI adoption, ultimately resulting in a benefit-cost ratio of 79:1.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Eleni S. Moutousidi, Ioannis K. Kookos
Summary: This study assesses the life cycle of nine different biobased chemicals, focusing on the production of feedstock and the use of utility steam and electricity as the main drivers across impact categories. Significant advantages over fossil-based production technologies are demonstrated in various impact categories where reliable data are available.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Giulio Galamini, Giacomo Ferretti, Christoph Rosinger, Sabine Huber, Valeria Medoro, Axel Mentler, Eugenio Diaz-Pin, Markus Gorfer, Barbara Faccini, Katharina Maria Keiblinger
Summary: Recycling nutrients is important, and struvite and nitrogen enriched zeolite fertilizers from wastewater treatments are gaining attention in European markets. Their effects on agricultural soil, especially struvite, are uncertain. This study investigated their effects on acid sandy arable soil, evaluating N dynamics, potential losses, and effects on soil parameters compared to traditional fertilization. The results showed that struvite quickly solubilized due to soil acidity, stimulating nitrifying and denitrifying microorganisms. Zeolite amendments decreased NOx gas emissions and NH3 emissions, but high dosage increased NH3 emissions. The two zeolitic tuffs had contrasting effects on microbial biomass, with chabazite tuff having a positive effect and clinoptilolite tuff having a negative effect on microbial N. Overall, there is potential for struvite and zeolites to mitigate nutrient outfluxes, but recommendations based on soil type are important for best results.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
M. E. Correa-Cano, G. Salmoral, D. Rey, J. W. Knox, A. Graves, O. Melo, W. Foster, L. Naranjo, E. Zegarra, C. Johnson, O. Viteri-Salazar, X. Yan
Summary: The increasing demand for food has led to agricultural expansion worldwide, causing negative impacts on resources and the environment, exemplifying the complexity of the Water-Energy-Food-Environment nexus. Although many tools have been developed to understand this complexity, most fail to consider both biophysical and socio-economic aspects simultaneously. This study presents a novel Water-Energy-Food Environment modelling toolkit that integrates these components, allowing stakeholders to better understand the interconnections and interdependencies within the nexus elements and the complex impacts of agricultural expansion. The toolkit can aid decision makers in designing coordinated agricultural policies and supporting sustainable agricultural transformation.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rylie E. O. Pelton, Seth A. Spawn-Lee, Tyler J. Lark, Taegon Kim, Nathaniel Springer, Peter Hawthorne, Deepak K. Ray, Jennifer Schmitt
Summary: Recognizing the significant threats posed by climate change to agricultural supply chains, companies globally are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Recent advancements in modeling have improved transparency in meat and ethanol industry supply chains, linking production practices and environmental impacts to downstream demand. Understanding spatially explicit hotspots in production impacts and land use changes is crucial for effective mitigation efforts and policies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Ankita Raturi, Jennifer J. Thompson, Victoria Ackroyd, Carlene A. Chase, Brian W. Davis, Robert Myers, Aurelie Poncet, Paula Ramos-Giraldo, Chris Reberg-Horton, Roderick Rejesus, Alison Robertson, Matthew D. Ruark, Sarah Seehaver-Eagen, Steven Mirsky
Summary: This paper introduces a team dedicated to sustainable agriculture, with a focus on preserving the environment through responsible data collection and management. They aim to establish trust among stakeholders through transparency and accountability in their project governance, stakeholder engagement, and technology development.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michal Seres, Petra Innemanova, Tereza Hnatkova, Milos Rozkosny, Alexandros Stefanakis, Jaroslav Semerad, Tomas Cajthaml
Summary: The decrease in precipitation has negatively impacted agriculture, with the reuse of treated wastewater potentially offering a solution. Experimental results in the Czech Republic demonstrate that wastewater irrigation significantly enhances crop growth, yet the associated risks of contamination require careful attention when implementing wastewater irrigation practices.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chunjian Lyu, Xiaojie Li, Huibin Yu, Yonghui Song, Hongjie Gao, Peng Yuan
Summary: In this study, the researchers monitored the potential nitrification rate, denitrification potential, and net N2O production rate in riparian soils, and used metagenomic sequencing to understand the mechanism of microbial N removal. The riparian soils showed a strong denitrification process, with higher rates of denitrification than nitrification and N2O production. Near farmland edges, the rates of denitrification, nitrification, and N2O production were lower. The composition of the N-cycling microbial community varied between different soil depths.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuanliang Jin, Liuwei Wang, Yinan Song, Jin Zhu, Muhan Qin, Longhua Wu, Pengjie Hu, Fangbai Li, Liping Fang, Chang Chen, Deyi Hou
Summary: Agricultural land degradation poses a serious threat to global food security, and restoring degraded land is considered a sustainable practice, although it may have consequential environmental impacts. Research has shown that different management scenarios for restoring contaminated agricultural land have varying impacts, with phytoextraction and chemical stabilization being more beneficial than alternative planting when considering tertiary impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Business
Parul Manchanda, Nupur Arora, Owais Nazir, Jamid Ul Islam
Summary: Achieving sustainable development is a global challenge. This study explores the influences of mindfulness on sustainability consciousness, with materialism and demographic factors as moderators. The findings reveal a positive relationship between mindfulness and sustainability consciousness, with materialism and gender acting as significant moderators. This research contributes to the understanding of the influences of mindfulness on the three aspects of sustainability and has implications for academics, practitioners, and policymakers.
JOURNAL OF RETAILING AND CONSUMER SERVICES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mikolaj Owsianiak, Henrik Lindhjem, Gerard Cornelissen, Sarah E. Hale, Erlend Sormo, Magnus Sparrevik
Summary: This study examined the environmental and economic impacts of producing biochar from biowaste and using it in agriculture in six developing and middle-income countries. The gasifier systems showed the best environmental performance, but were economically unsustainable. Using simple kilns in countries with low labor costs can result in net economic benefits.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Naser Valizadeh, Dariush Hayati
Summary: The study aimed to develop and validate an agricultural sustainability measurement index through a multi-stage process and statistical analysis. The index categorized indicators into factors, validated the measurement structure, and introduced main indicators. This could help guide agricultural policies, compare sustainability across regions, and facilitate interventions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Josefin E. Nilsson, Stefan E. B. Weisner, Antonia Liess
Summary: Wetlands in agricultural areas play a crucial role in mitigating eutrophication by intercepting nutrient transports. This study finds that despite the expected decrease in hydraulic loading rate and nitrogen load during summer, wetlands can still effectively remove nitrogen from agricultural runoff in the future. The design and location of wetlands are important factors for achieving high nitrogen removal efficiency.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zahra Karimian Abdar, Somayeh Amirtaimoori, Mohammad Reza Zare Mehrjerdi, Hossein Mehrabi Boshrabadi
Summary: Sustainable agriculture is seen as a way to achieve the goals of sustainable development globally. This study developed new composite indices to assess agricultural sustainability in Iranian provinces from 2007 to 2017, revealing regional differences and irregular trends in sustainability.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Giliandro G. Silva, Andy J. Green, Pedro Hoffman, Vinicius Weber, Cristina Stenert, Adam Lovas-Kiss, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: This study investigated the differences in waterbird-mediated endozoochory among five South American waterfowl species and the impact of seasonality on dispersal functions. The results revealed that these waterfowl dispersed 2,066 intact diaspores from 40 different plant taxa, with at least one diaspore present in 65% of fecal samples, predominantly from native amphibious and emergent plants. Seasonal variation was evident, with more diaspores found in the cold period compared to the warm period, and a strong interaction between bird species and season was the most important predictor of variation in both taxonomic richness and abundance of diaspores.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Raquel F. Freiry, Mateus M. Pires, Andressa Gouvea, Pedro H. O. Hoffman, Cristina Stenert, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: In subtropical seasonal ponds, the alpha diversity of zooplankton hatchling communities is primarily related to substrate heterogeneity, and the beta diversity of the total community is influenced by annual rainfall and substrate heterogeneity. The beta diversity of Cladocera is solely affected by annual rainfall, while substrate heterogeneity influences the overall beta diversity of Rotifera. Overall, the distinct relationships of the zooplankton groups with the explanatory datasets suggest differing sensitivities to impacts in habitat structure and climatic conditions in subtropical seasonal ponds.
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Daiane Vendramin, Allana Goncalves Piu, Ana Emilia Brochado Schneider, Lidiane Martins, Pedro Henrique de Oliveira Hoffmann, Elvio S. F. Medeiros, Leonardo Felipe Bairos Moreira, Leonardo Maltchik, Cristina Stenert
Summary: Wetlands, one of the most diverse environments, are threatened by human activities. This study examines the relationship between dormant zooplankton stages and clay removal, as well as the influence of adding topsoil from natural wetlands to mined wetlands. The results suggest that sediment donation from natural to mined wetlands may help establish a more diverse community in disturbed systems.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Mateus M. Pires, Leandro Bieger, Thaise Boelter, Cristina Stenert, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal patterns of metacommunity assembly mechanisms of macroinvertebrates in wetlands with varying hydroperiods in southern Brazil. It found that environmental and spatial variables play different roles in influencing metacommunity structure across seasons and hydroperiods, and that different environmental variables affect metacommunity structure in each hydroperiod.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Jordan Tuparai Talhaferro, Alessandra Angelica de Padua Bueno, Mateus Marques Pires, Cristina Stenert, Leonardo Maltchik, Carla Bender Kotzian
Summary: This study describes three new species of Hyalella collected in wetlands in the southern Brazilian Coastal Plain. Each species has distinct characteristics and distribution locations. The new records increase the diversity of Hyalella species in Brazil to 33 and in the Americas to 83.
Article
Zoology
Luis Esteban Krause Lanes, Matheus Vieira Volcan, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: Two new species of Austrolebias, Austrolebias botocudo and Austrolebias nubium, are described in this study. They are found in high-altitude areas in southern Brazil and are easily distinguished from congeners by their color patterns and other morphological features. The conservation status of these new species is discussed and an identification key for the subgenus Acrolebias is provided.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mateus M. Pires, Marta G. Grech, Cristina Stenert, Leonardo Maltchik, Luis B. Epele, Kyle I. McLean, Jamie M. Kneitel, Douglas A. Bell, Hamish S. Greig, Chase R. Gagne, Darold P. Batzer
Summary: The study found that family-level resolution can be used as a surrogate of finer taxonomic resolutions to describe invertebrate community structure patterns in New World freshwater wetlands without significant information loss. However, conclusions on biodiversity patterns derived from datasets with different numerical resolutions should be critically considered.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Soraya Ribeiro, Leonardo F. B. Moreira, Gerhard E. Overbeck, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: The study reveals that most Pampa protected areas are subject to both internal and external human pressures. Human land uses are prevalent in both the protected areas and buffer zones, posing challenges to the biodiversity and natural attributes of the Pampa region.
JOURNAL OF LAND USE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Roberta Cozer Bacca, Mateus Marques Pires, Leonardo Felipe Bairos Moreira, Cristina Stenert, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: The metacommunity organisation of aquatic insects in temporary ponds in southern Brazil is influenced by environmental factors (habitat structure; water chemistry; climate) and spatial factors, with differences observed between strong-flying and weak-flying insect subsets. Climate and fine-scale spatial factors play a significant role in structuring the composition of strong-flying insects, while weak-flying insects are more affected by local water chemistry and spatially structured climate.
Article
Fisheries
Leonardo F. B. Moreira, Jessica B. da Silva, Debora S. Knauth, Soraya Ribeiro, Leonardo Maltchik
Summary: This study found that agricultural conversion acts as environmental filters for amphibian communities, selecting species based on certain traits such as adult reproductive strategies and tadpole plasticity.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2021)