Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Martine J. Barons, Steven Mascaro, Anca M. Hanea
Summary: SEJ is a structured method for obtaining estimates from groups of experts, aiming to minimize cognitive frailties. When the number of quantities required is large, imputation methods can be used for unelicited quantities. InterBeta is effective in interpolating conditional probability tables to reduce expert burden.
Review
Food Science & Technology
E. Hadjigeorgiou, B. Clark, E. Simpson, D. Coles, R. Comber, A. R. H. Fischer, N. Meijer, H. J. P. Marvin, L. J. Frewer
Summary: Emerging food and feed risks refer to the risks that arise from newly identified hazards or from increased exposure to known hazards. Expert knowledge elicitation methods play a crucial role in addressing data gaps associated with emerging risks.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Romaan Nazir, Vijay Kumar, Suphala Gupta, Padmanabh Dwivedi, Devendra Kumar Pandey, Abhijit Dey
Summary: The use of biotechnological techniques such as in vitro cultivation and genetic transformation has shown to increase diosgenin production from plants. Molecular markers are also utilized for assessing genetic diversity in diosgenin-containing plant species.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Conrad Zorn, Raghav Pant, Scott Thacker, Lea Andreae, Asaad Y. Shamseldin
Summary: This paper investigates the role of electricity in the national passenger-transportation sectors in New Zealand by studying the geographic and functional dependence on the electricity transmission/distribution networks, identifying critical substations for normal transportation sector functionality. By simulating disruptive scenarios, a synthesised set of curves integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches to characterizing infrastructure dependencies is derived. The study emphasizes the criticality of road networks in petroleum distribution and urban areas for transportation disruptions.
CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Maria Lisa Clodoveo, Elvira Tarsitano, Pasquale Crupi, Loris Pasculli, Prisco Piscitelli, Alessandro Miani, Filomena Corbo
Summary: This article describes the development of a new food product labeling system called Mediterranean Index, which aims to promote adherence to the Mediterranean diet by encouraging physical activity and the production of healthier and more sustainable food products. The system integrates 27 criteria related to nutritional, environmental, and social sustainability.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sarah Dryhurst, Femke Mulder, Irina Dallo, John R. R. Kerr, Sara K. K. McBride, Laure Fallou, Julia S. S. Becker
Summary: Misinformation poses a huge threat to public understanding of science and evidence-based decision making. This study focuses on the field of seismology and explores which claims can be considered misinformation and which are supported by consensus or still under debate. The opinions of 164 earth scientists are collected to provide insights into the state of knowledge in the field and to identify areas where consensus messaging can combat earthquake-related misinformation.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Studies
Vincent Lam, Mason M. Majszak
Summary: This article discusses the importance of expert judgment in climate science, particularly in the context of climate tipping points. The authors evaluate existing literature on expertise in climate science and focus on the role of expert judgment in identifying and characterizing tipping points. They highlight the use of expert elicitation protocols for quantifying uncertainty and managing nonepistemic values. Clarifying the epistemic foundations of expert judgment contributes to a better understanding of the challenges related to climate tipping points.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-CLIMATE CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Feyza Tekinbas Ozkaya, Mustafa Gurol Durak, Onur Dogan, Zeki Atil Bulut, Rainer Haas
Summary: This study evaluates the current situation in sustainable food consumption and provides suggestions based on expert opinions. Experts consider SCF from ecologic, social, economic, and health perspectives, with ecological aspects being the most important, followed by economic and social dimensions. Consumer deficits include lack of awareness, unplanned shopping, and mistakes in post-consumption behavior, with barriers on the adult side being lack of awareness about meat production consequences, difficulties in changing lifestyles, and lack of motivation. The experts suggest raising awareness on balanced nutrition and food waste through training programs and the effective use of communication channels like social media to achieve sustainability.
Article
Agronomy
Kelly Parsons, David Barling
Summary: Public food procurement policy has the potential to drive sustainable food consumption and production, but there are currently barriers preventing its realization. By considering the interactions between different policy instruments and placing public food procurement policy within a broader policy system, these barriers can be addressed and the potential can be maximized.
Article
Economics
Cristian Rizzo, Gianluigi Guido, Giovanni Pino, Tommaso Pirotti, Luca Anzilli
Summary: This research developed a fuzzy logic-based expert system to evaluate the sustainable development of municipalities in a Southern Italian province, highlighting differences in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Kubra Tumay Ates, Cenk Sahin, Yusuf Kuvvetli, Bulent A. Kuren, Aykut Uysal
Summary: CEM III cement is a mixture of ground granulated blast furnace slag and Portland cement clinker, and the activity index of GGBS is important for predicting the compressive strengths. Artificial neural network method shows better prediction ability for the activity index, leading to optimized mixtures and reduced CO2 emissions in the production process.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Elena Popova, Maria Titova, Marat Tynykulov, Rano P. Zakirova, Irina Kulichenko, Olga Prudnikova, Alexander Nosov
Summary: The genus Ajuga is a rich source of medicinally important species with various biological activities. Phytoecdysteroids are the main compounds of interest and are widely used in dietary supplements. Cell culture biotechnologies offer a sustainable approach to produce bioactive metabolites specific for Ajuga genus. The cell cultures can produce a variety of compounds with therapeutic potential and demonstrate antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities.
Article
Polymer Science
Marian Rofeal, Fady Abdelmalek, Joanna Pietrasik
Summary: This study proposes a new and durable feedstock for efficient polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production in bioplastic manufacturing. The researchers compared different pretreatment methods for food waste and achieved impressive glucose and PHB yields. They also developed a blend of PHB and poly (methyl methacrylate) with satisfactory mechanical properties. Additionally, a 3D filament was successfully extruded from the PHB blend, demonstrating its potential for future applications.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohamad Nor Azra, Victor Tosin Okomoda, Mhd Ikhwanuddin
Summary: Aquaculture, the aquatic equivalent of agriculture, is the fastest-growing food sector and an important means of providing sustainable food production. The use of breeding technology not only improves captive production but also contributes to the management and ecosystem services of aquatic ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sue Kleve, Martine J. Barons
Summary: This study utilized structured expert judgement (SEJ) to gather data on three determinants of household food security, which were then aggregated to quantify a decision support system. The results demonstrated the impact of different combinations of household income, food cost, and physical access on household food security status and severity, supported by expert reasoning during the elicitation process.
PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Thibault Datry, Amelie Truchy, Julian D. Olden, Michelle H. Busch, Rachel Stubbington, Walter K. Dodds, Sam Zipper, Songyan Yu, Mathis L. Messager, Jonathan D. Tonkin, Kendra E. Kaiser, John C. Hammond, Eric K. Moody, Ryan M. Burrows, Romain Sarremejane, Amanda G. DelVecchia, Megan L. Fork, Chelsea J. Little, Richard H. Walker, Annika W. Walters, Daniel Allen
Summary: Intermittent rivers are the predominant type of running waters on Earth, and human-induced flow intermittence (AFI) has unique hydrological and biological impacts. This review examines the causes and alterations of drying in AFI compared to natural flow intermittence (NFI), evaluates the differences in biodiversity responses, ecological functions, and ecosystem services between the two, and highlights knowledge gaps and management needs related to AFI.
Article
Environmental Sciences
V Sandstrom, J. Kaseva, M. Porkka, M. Kuisma, Y. Sakieh, H. Kahiluoto
Summary: The activation of nitrogen and phosphorus for food production has exceeded the Earth system's safe operating space. Disparities in the use of global nutrient activation among countries have led to severe implications for the environment, land degradation, and food security. The impact on Earth system processes, productivity gains and losses, and socio-economic impacts all depend on past use.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Elizabeth M. Alejandre, Laura Scherer, Jeroen B. Guinee, Marcelo A. Aizen, Matthias Albrecht, Mario V. Balzan, Ignasi Bartomeus, Danilo Bevk, Laura A. Burkle, Yann Clough, Lorna J. Cole, Casey M. Delphia, Lynn V. Dicks, Michael P. D. Garratt, David Kleijn, Aniko Kovacs-Hostyanszki, Yael Mandelik, Robert J. Paxton, Theodora Petanidou, Simon Potts, Miklos Sarospataki, Catharina J. E. Schulp, Menelaos Stavrinides, Katharina Stein, Jane C. Stout, Hajnalka Szentgyorgyi, Androulla I. Varnava, Ben A. Woodcock, Peter M. van Bodegom
Summary: While wild pollinators are crucial for global food production, they are currently not included in the commonly used environmental impact assessment method, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), due to data limitations and compatibility issues. To address this gap, a Delphi assessment was conducted to obtain relative pollinator abundance estimates from 25 experts covering 16 nationalities and 45 countries. Based on the estimates, globally generic characterization factors (CFs) were developed to assess the impact of land use on wild pollinator abundance in LCA studies.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinhui Zhou, Jose M. Mogollon, Peter M. van Bodegom, Valerio Barbarossa, Arthur H. W. Beusen, Laura Scherer
Summary: Nitrogen emissions pose a threat to freshwater ecosystems through eutrophication and toxicity, but research on these effects is limited. This study developed spatially explicit effect factors to assess the impact of nitrogen on freshwater fish biodiversity. The study revealed regional differences in sensitivities of freshwater ecosystems to nitrogen, providing valuable data for assessing nutrient-induced impacts in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chen Li, Joop W. P. Coolen, Laura Scherer, Jose M. Mogollon, Ulrike Braeckman, Jan Vanaverbeke, Arnold Tukker, Bernhard Steubing
Summary: Large-scale offshore wind energy developments have (negative or positive) impacts on marine biodiversity, creating artificial reefs and reducing bottom trawling. The long-term cumulative impacts are unknown. This study integrates these impacts into life cycle assessment and suggests no net adverse impacts on benthic communities within offshore wind farms. Artificial reefs could increase species richness and abundance, while seabed occupation may result in minor biodiversity losses. The trawling avoidance benefits were inconclusive. The developed characterization factors provide a stepping stone for a better representation of biodiversity in life cycle assessment.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jose A. Posada-Marin, Paola A. A. Arias, Fernando Jaramillo, Juan F. F. Salazar
Summary: Through a 40-year forward tracking simulation and composite analysis, it has been found that El Nino significantly affects terrestrial moisture recycling (TMR). The impact of El Nino on TMR varies in different regions, with increased TMR in the Southern Hemisphere and decreased TMR in the Northern Hemisphere and tropics. The changes in TMR can help explain the precipitation changes caused by El Nino globally.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura Scherer, Hidde A. Boom, Valerio Barbarossa, Peter M. van Bodegom
Summary: This study comprehensively assesses the threats of climate change to the functional diversity of freshwater fish worldwide, considering three complementary metrics: functional richness, evenness, and divergence. The results show that 6%-25% of locations globally face a complete loss of functional diversity under different warming levels. The contrasting patterns of the three facets of functional diversity demonstrate their complementarity and added value compared to species richness, emphasizing the importance of early mitigation measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change on freshwater communities.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Dana A. Lapides, Sam Zipper, John C. Hammond
Summary: Groundwater pumping can lead to streamflow depletion, but identifying its impacts solely from hydrographs is challenging due to other factors causing hydrologic variability. In order to identify potential indicators of streamflow depletion, synthetic hydrographs and an analytical model were used to assess the impacts of pumping on specific hydrograph characteristics for 215 streamgages across the United States. The study found that streamflow depletion commonly affects characteristics associated with low flows and recessions, especially during dry years. Random forest models showed that streamflow depletion has significant impacts on annual, summer, and fall characteristics in most streams. These findings suggest consistent hydrological processes linking pumping to streamflow reductions across diverse settings, which can help in identifying indicators of streamflow depletion from streamflow hydrographs.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Mehri Tabarmayeh, Mehdi Zarei, Fernando Jaramillo, Okke Batelaan
Summary: This research investigates an aquifer experiencing severe groundwater stress, aiming to identify the main causes and understand the impacts of climate change and human activities. The results indicate that declining groundwater levels are mainly caused by expanding vegetation cover rather than changing hydro-climatic variables.
HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xander Huggins, Tom Gleeson, David Serrano, Sam Zipper, Florian Jehn, Melissa M. Rohde, Robin Abell, Kari Vigerstol, Andreas Hartmann
Summary: Protected areas are crucial for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, but the potential impacts of human activities on groundwater flow and adjacent areas have been largely overlooked. This study assesses the extent of these impacts by mapping groundwatersheds of protected areas worldwide. The findings reveal that a significant portion of groundwatersheds of protected areas are underprotected, highlighting the need for groundwatershed-based conservation and management measures.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sam Zipper, Kevin M. Befus, Robert Reinecke, Daniel Zamrsky, Tom Gleeson, Sacha Ruzzante, Kristen Jordan, Kyle Compare, Daniel Kretschmer, Mark Cuthbert, Anthony M. Castronova, Thorsten Wagener, Marc F. P. Bierkens
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alfredo Rodriguez, Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Margarita Ruiz-Ramos, Eduardo Aguilera, Miguel Quemada, Gilles Billen, Josette Garnier, Luis Lassaletta
Summary: Nitrogen can be wasted along the agro-food system, causing environmental problems. Geopolitical instabilities affect prices, challenging production systems to reduce N waste. Analyzing N flows is essential to understand agroenvironmental performance and design strategies for reducing N pollution.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joao Serra, Claudia Marques-dos-Santos, Joana Marinheiro, Eduardo Aguilera, Luis Lassaletta, Alberto Sanz-Cobena, Josette Garnier, Gilles Billen, Wim de Vries, Tommy Dalgaard, Nicholas Hutchings, Maria do Rosario Cameira
Summary: Irrigation is often overlooked in agricultural nitrogen budgets, but it can be a significant source of nitrogen in irrigated agriculture. This study quantified the nitrogen input from irrigation water sources to cropping systems in Europe, showing that the nitrogen input increased over a 10-year period, with the Mediterranean region being the main hotspot. By not considering irrigation, environmental and agricultural policies are underestimating the extent of nitrogen pollution in European irrigated systems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Remote Sensing
Neda Abbasi, Hamideh Nouri, Pamela Nagler, Kamel Didan, Sattar Chavoshi Borujeni, Armando Barreto-Munoz, Christian Opp, Stefan Siebert
Summary: The study evaluated the application of remote sensing techniques for mapping crop water use and found that METEVI2 is a cost-effective tool for this purpose.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Aino Ahvo, Matias Heino, Vilma Sandstrom, Daniel Chrisendo, Mika Jalava, Matti Kummu
Summary: The industrialization of agriculture has led to an increasing dependence on non-local agricultural inputs, and shocks to the availability of these inputs can have devastating effects on crop production. This study uses a machine learning model to assess the impacts of agricultural input shocks on crop yields, finding that shocks to fertilizers have the most drastic effects.