Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florian Humpenoeder, Benjamin Leon Bodirsky, Isabelle Weindl, Hermann Lotze-Campen, Tomas Linder, Alexander Popp
Summary: Livestock production has many negative environmental impacts, and alternative products like plant-based meat, cultured meat, and microbial protein have been proposed as means to reduce these impacts. Substituting 20% of per-capita ruminant meat consumption with microbial protein (MP) by 2050 can offset future increases in global pasture area and significantly reduce deforestation, CO2 emissions, and methane emissions. However, scaling up MP further may result in a non-linear saturation effect on reducing deforestation and CO2 emissions, which cannot be captured by static life cycle assessment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marc F. Mueller, Gopal Penny, Meredith T. Niles, Vincent Ricciardi, Davide Danilo Chiarelli, Kyle Frankel Davis, Jampel Dell'Angelo, Paolo D'Odorico, Lorenzo Rosa, Maria Cristina Rulli, Nathaniel D. Mueller
Summary: A global systematic analysis found that land acquisitions may lead to a shift towards energy-rich but nutrient-poor crops destined for export markets, affecting access to nutritious foods locally. Specific impacts on food production and access vary substantially across regions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Yuji Hara, Chizuko Hirai, Yuki Sampei
Summary: This study quantifies fill flows and associated CO2 emissions in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. By collecting data, mapping fill flows, and simulating optimized matching, the study finds significant reductions in flow length and emissions. The results highlight the importance of flexible matching and continuous monitoring, and provide insights for the development of fill material science.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Stefan Bringezu, Martin Distelkamp, Christian Lutz, Florian Wimmer, Ruediger Schaldach, Klaus Josef Hennenberg, Hannes Boettcher, Vincent Egenolf
Summary: The environmental footprints of the German bioeconomy between 2000 and 2015 are dominated by animal-based food consumption and double the domestic agricultural land use for consumption.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ezequiel M. Arrieta, Sebastian Aguiar, Carlos Gonzalez Fischer, Anibal Cuchietti, Diego A. Cabrol, Alejandro D. Gonzalez, Esteban G. Jobbagy
Summary: The livestock sector has significant impacts on resource use and pollution in food systems. This study assesses the environmental impacts of livestock production in Argentina by analyzing biomass consumption, land occupation, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy and chemical fertilizers use. Results show that beef production has the highest environmental footprints, requiring more land and emitting more greenhouse gases compared to other livestock products. Tailored solutions based on management traditions and ecological heterogeneity are necessary to reduce these impacts.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ivy Blackmore, Lora Iannotti, Claudia Rivera, William F. Waters, Carolyn Lesorogol
Summary: This article examines the livelihood challenges faced by three rural communities in the Andes of Ecuador due to natural resource trends, including soil degradation leading to decreasing agriculture production and economic hardship. The study found that this challenging dynamic has driven many community members to migrate to cities in search of work, impacting the health of young children and their mothers. The prevalence of malnutrition among the population, with high rates of low height-for-age, low weight-for-age, and anemia, highlights the need for sustainable interventions to address agricultural production and consumption challenges.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anna-Mara Schoen, Marita Boehringer
Summary: Nowadays, many countries have disconnected their dietary habits from locally available resources and land, causing harm to ecosystems and people's health. Re-regionalising food systems and aligning diets with planetary boundaries can help reconnect people to the food they eat.
Article
Water Resources
Camilla Govoni, Davide Danilo Chiarelli, Alice Luciano, Matteo Ottoboni, Simge Nur Perpelek, Luciano Pinotti, Maria Cristina Rulli
Summary: The poultry industry plays a significant role in global meat production, but the production of feed for poultry poses challenges in terms of competition for natural resources. International feed trade helps save significant amounts of resources, but there is a need for more sustainable approaches to address the challenges faced by the sector in the future.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
H. H. E. van Zanten, W. Simon, B. van Selm, J. Wacker, T. I. Maindl, A. Frehner, R. Hijbeek, M. K. van Ittersum, M. Herrero
Summary: Redesigning the European food system based on circularity principles can have significant environmental benefits for both Europe and the world. Through a biophysical optimization model, this study explores the effects of implementing circularity scenarios in the European Union (EU)27 + UK. The results show potential reductions in agricultural land use and per capita greenhouse gas emissions, while still ensuring sufficient food production. Transitioning towards circularity in the EU's food system has the potential to address global food shortages and improve both human and planetary health.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marco Medici, Maurizio Canavari, Alessandra Castellini
Summary: The diffusion of community supported agriculture (CSA) in Italy is a recent phenomenon, with a focus on investigating its current status and evolution, as well as the benefits and challenges faced by CSA members. Findings indicate that overall, the CSA phenomenon in Italy is meeting sustainability goals but with room for improvement in terms of member involvement, economic viability, and environmental impact. Social transformations where consumers take on dual roles of producers and consumers with increased responsibility are being observed.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Katarzyna Chojnacka, Katarzyna Mikula, Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Dawid Skrzypczak, Anna Witek-Krowiak, Aleksandra Gersz, Konstantinos Moustakas, Jaroslaw Iwaniuk, Mariusz Grzedzicki, Mariusz Korczynski
Summary: Sustainable development in agriculture entails increasing nutrient use efficiency, particularly nitrogen, to reduce environmental pressure. Utilizing local protein sources for feed can lower greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and contribute to sustainable agriculture.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ovidija Eicaite, Tomas Balezentis, Erika Ribasauskiene, Mangirdas Morkunas, Rasa Melnikiene, Dalia Streimikiene
Summary: This paper focuses on on-farm food loss in Lithuania and investigates the reasons and rates of food loss in primary production. The research shows significant variation in on-farm food loss rates and identifies environmental factors, consumer and buyer requirements, and diseases as the main causes.
Article
Economics
Zhanguo Zhu, Xiaozhou Ma, Xu Tian, Tong Zhang
Summary: This paper examines consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for pork products from mixed crop-livestock systems through a choice experiment among 893 Chinese consumers. The results show that consumers are willing to pay a premium for pork with mixed crop-livestock systems claim, as well as for different environmental carrying capacity, environmental benefits, and quality certifications. Latent class analysis identifies five consumer classes based on preferences: balanced thinking, price sensitive, quality preferred, environmental benefits conscious, and ecology conscious consumers. Policies and interventions aimed at promoting the market-oriented operation of mixed crop-livestock systems should consider regional environmental carrying capacity, environmental benefits, and quality improvement of food products.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nian Yang, Lei Chen, Wenzhuo Wang, Zhenyao Shen
Summary: The study examined the balance of crop-livestock systems in Jiangxi Province and the water environmental risks caused by surplus manure nutrients. Results showed that phosphorus absorption is a main limiting factor for the development of livestock and poultry industries, with most regions experiencing a mismatch between manure nutrient demand and supply.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lorrayne Miralha, Rebecca L. Muenich, Danica Schaffer-Smith, Soe W. Myint
Summary: Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) have rapidly expanded in the U.S. and globally, leading to issues of concentrated manure distribution and environmental accumulation. Studies found associations between the presence of CAFOs and land use change as well as degraded environmental conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Michael R. Daly, Jennifer M. Mellor, Marco Millones
JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH
(2019)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Claudia Radel, Brad D. Jokisch, Birgit Schmook, Lindsey Carte, Mariel Aguilar-Stoen, Kathleen Hermans, Karl Zimmerer, Stephen Aldrich
CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2019)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alejandra Guzman Luna, Bruce G. Ferguson, Omar Giraldo, Birgit Schmook, Elda Miriam Aldasoro Maya
AGROECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2019)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Carlos Dobler-Morales, R. Roy Chowdhury, B. Schmook
JOURNAL OF LAND USE SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah E. Metcalfe, Birgit Schmook, Doreen S. Boyd, Betsabe De la Barreda-Bautista, Georgina E. Endfield, Sofia Mardero, Maria Manzon Che, Roger Medina Gonzalez, Maria Teresa Munguia Gil, Santana Navarro Olmedo, Alejandra Perea
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2020)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Sofia Mardero, Birgit Schmook, Zachary Christman, Sarah E. Metcalfe, Betsabe De la Barreda-Bautista
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Remote Sensing
Andrew Pagan, John Rogan, Birgit Schmook, Zachary Christman, Florencia Sangermano
Summary: This study used MODIS data to analyze agricultural burning trends in the southern Yucatan Peninsular Region, focusing on the impact of the Sembrando Vida program. The study found that in 2019, there was a 33% increase in agricultural burns compared to previous years and a biennial trend in fire frequency, influenced by interannual rainfall variability. The implementation of Sembrando Vida in 2019 led to a significant increase in state-authorized burning permits.
REMOTE SENSING LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geography
Birgit Schmook, Claudia Radel, Lindsey Carte, Richard L. Johnson
Summary: Smallholder farming coexists with large-scale agriculture as a result of the Green Revolution, but smallholders face challenges such as limited land, debt, vulnerability to climate disasters, and emigration. Despite these challenges, they strive to adopt modern agricultural practices.
PROFESSIONAL GEOGRAPHER
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rehema M. White, Birgit Schmook, Sophie Calme, Anthony J. Giordiano, Yves Hausser, Lynn Kimmel, Lou Lecuyer, Mauro Lucherini, Crisol Mendez-Medina, Juan L. Pena-Mondragon
Summary: Conservation biology is a discipline that requires collaboration between conservation and science, as it encompasses social, political, and ecological aspects. In a comparative study of 7 cases, motivations for collaboration, potential collaborators, and effective collaboration strategies were examined. The study found that successful conservation outcomes were prioritized in 5 cases, while livelihood benefits were prioritized in the other 2 cases. Participatory approaches were employed in all case studies, with multiple external actors playing a crucial role in enhancing conservation and sustainability outcomes. Key aspects of collaboration considered across the case studies included time, trust, tools, and transformative potential. Guidelines for successful collaboration were developed, emphasizing long-term commitment, knowledge integration, multiscalar and plural approaches, trust-building, appropriate engagement, evaluation, support for students, and efforts for transformation.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Walter Leal, Aprajita Minhas, Birgit Schmook, Sofia Mardero, Ayyoob Sharifi, Shlomit Paz, Marina Kovaleva, Maria Cristina Albertini, Antonis Skouloudis
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to mobilize financial resources for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, leading to an increase in poverty and a decrease in funding for climate change research. Efforts are needed to maintain funding levels and address climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2023)
Review
Development Studies
Elizabeth A. Mack, Laura Aileen Sauls, Brad D. Jokisch, Kerstin Nolte, Birgit Schmook, Yifan He, Claudia Radel, Ginger R. H. Allington, Lisa C. Kelley, Christian Kelly Scott, Stephen Leisz, Guangqing Chi, Lira Sagynbekova, Nicholas Cuba, Geoffrey M. Henebry
Summary: This paper conducts a systematic review to explore the linkages between remittances and land change. The findings suggest that the connections are commonly indirect and occur through various pathways, such as agricultural development and land purchases. Future research can focus on telecoupling, examining the impacts of shocks to remittance flows, studying the ripple effect of remittance uses on nearby land systems, and using spatially explicit modeling.
Editorial Material
Environmental Studies
Birgit Schmook, Lindsey Carte, Claudia Radel, Mariel Aguilar-Stoen
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Lou Lecuyer, Sophie Calme, Birgit Schmook, Rehema M. White
Summary: Global processes have led to an increase in documented conservation conflicts in local places. Conservation conflicts are not only about the direct negative impact of species on humans or vice versa, but also arise between people with diverse views. Conflict is influenced by risk perception, tolerance levels, and conservation values. Mapping the interaction of impact, risk perception, tolerance, and conservation values at a local scale can help predict, understand, and manage conservation conflict hotspots.
FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Crisol Mendez-Medina, Birgit Schmook, Xavier Basurto, Stuart Fulton, Alejandro Espinoza-Tenorio
Article
Geography
Brad D. Jokisch, Claudia Radel, Lindsey Carte, Birgit Schmook