Article
Ecology
Caroline Harkness, Francisco J. Areal, Mikhail A. Semenov, Nimai Senapati, Ian F. Shield, Jacob Bishop
Summary: Stable food production and income under changing climate conditions are essential for food security and livelihoods. Variability in temperature and rainfall negatively affects the stability of food production and farm income. However, our study shows that farm management practices have a larger impact on stability than climate, highlighting the importance of agricultural policies that promote agricultural diversity, efficient agrochemical use, and agri-environmental management. Flexibility in adaptation strategies is also necessary due to differences in climate impacts and adaptation options between farm types.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
N. T. Krell, B. E. Morgan, D. Gower, K. K. Caylor
Summary: The study highlights the importance of selecting drought-avoidant crop varieties in the face of increasing rainfall variability and intensity. Early maturing crops have shown to have lower likelihood of failure in water deficit conditions, despite the potential for higher-yielding, late maturing varieties. The historical probability of crop failure was lowest in the past due to higher rainfall totals, but is now increasing with reduced rainfall amounts.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shanlong Lu, Yong Wang, Jinfeng Zhou, Alice C. Hughes, Mingyang Li, Cong Du, Xiaohong Yang, Yutong Xiong, Feng Zi, Wenzhong Wang, Zhaoxian Zheng, Chun Fang, Shunli Yu
Summary: Protecting and restoring degraded arid lakes is a globally urgent issue. This study documents the potential recovery of the dried salt-lake Lop Nur in China through analyzing the changes and relationship of surface water with climate parameters and groundwater over the last 30 years. The findings show that increased surface water in the basin has led to a positive response in the groundwater level of Lop Nur since 2015, with a slower rate of decline. This study provides an encouraging case for the protection and restoration of degraded lakes in dryland regions worldwide.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Biology
J. Brijs, M. Fore, A. Grans, T. D. Clark, M. Axelsson, J. L. Johansen
Summary: The aquaculture industry faces challenges in profitability, ethics, and environmental sustainability, but bio-sensors offer an innovative solution for assessing animal health and welfare.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kai Tang, Mingzhe Wang, Di Zhou
Summary: The study shows that the dryland agricultural sector has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with relatively low costs. This can help save agricultural inputs and contribute to cost-effective mitigation efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jannike Wichern, James Hammond, Mark T. van Wijk, Ken E. Giller, Katrien Descheemaeker
Summary: Climate-related variability in crop production and market price variability in Uganda affect the security of food and income for rural households. A study using household surveys from two different sites in Uganda found that crop production varied significantly, with yields often doubling or halving depending on conditions. Many households relied on off-farm income, selling livestock, and reducing food consumption as adaptation strategies, but these were not feasible for a significant portion of the population. Limited use of proactive adaptation strategies and inaccessible ex-post strategies highlight the alarming implications of climate change on crop production.
CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mallory L. Barnes, Martha M. Farella, Russell L. Scott, David J. P. Moore, Guillermo E. Ponce-Campos, Joel A. Biederman, Natasha MacBean, Marcy E. Litvak, David D. Breshears
Summary: DryFlux is a product that combines in situ carbon flux measurements with remote sensing and meteorological observations using machine learning, accurately predicting the variability of carbon uptake in dryland ecosystems. This approach can serve as an improved benchmark for earth system models in drylands, prompting a more sensitive consideration of the impact of water limitation on the carbon cycle.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wanrui Han, Xiang Lin, Dong Wang
Summary: The effects of different climatic elements on wheat yield are spatially heterogeneous by region, and the combined effects of climatic elements are higher than those of single elements. Climate change has a significant impact on wheat yield in different regions, but the degree of impact varies across regions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sathya Uma Lakshmi Kandasamy, Piyush Kumar Singh, Dillip Kumar Swain
Summary: This study used Vulnerability index calculation and Machine Learning techniques to analyze the vulnerability level and factors affecting it in the dryland community in Southern India. The results showed that the dryland community has a moderate level of vulnerability due to their higher adaptive capacity. Factors such as involvement in awareness programs, income sources for food, farm size, and education status of dryland farmers had a significant impact on the vulnerability level. Potential coping strategies were identified to reduce the vulnerability level of the dryland farmers.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Wanrui Han, Shengli Liu, Jian Wang, Yaping Lei, Yongjiang Zhang, Yingchun Han, Guoping Wang, Lu Feng, Xiaofei Li, Yabing Li, Zhanbiao Wang
Summary: This study quantitatively analyzed the effects of climate variation on cotton yield variability in major cotton-growing areas of China, based on historical climate and yield data. The results showed that the contribution of climate variation to cotton yield variability varied among different regions and the main driving factors of yield variability also differed. Temperature and solar radiation influenced cotton yield in the Yellow River basin, rainfall was the main factor affecting yield in the Yangtze River basin, and solar radiation played a major role in the northwest inland region. Yield variation was mainly generated by complex models at the provincial scale, and nonlinearity was observed in most provinces, with greater fluctuations in the northwest inland region.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martino E. Malerba, Nicholas Wright, Peter I. Macreadie
Summary: Worldwide food production is facing increasing demand, and climate change has made agricultural freshwater supplies more uncertain. This study used satellite images and deep learning techniques to analyze the impacts of climate factors on water levels in Australian farm dams over 55 years. The results show that higher annual temperatures, lower annual rainfall, stronger seasonality, reduced climate anomalies, and higher temporal autocorrelation increase the risk of empty farm dams.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zicun Zheng, Boyuan Liu, Xiang Fang, Keyu Fa, Zhen Liu
Summary: This study utilized metagenomic sequencing and analysis methods to identify autotrophic microbes harboring genes of carbon fixation pathways in dryland farm soil. The results revealed the presence of autotrophic microbes with six carbon fixation pathways, suggesting that dryland farm soil may fix atmospheric carbon through autotrophic microbial pathways.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Fangli Wei, Shuai Wang, Martin Brandt, Bojie Fu, Michael E. Meadows, Lixin Wang, Lanhui Wang, Xiaowei Tong, Rasmus Fensholt
Summary: Drylands in Africa cover 43% of the continent and have a significant impact on global carbon cycling and local livelihoods. Understanding the response of dryland ecosystems to environmental changes is crucial for sustainable management. Recent studies using remote sensing have shown that factors like increased CO2 levels, changes in rainfall patterns, and reduced fire activity have led to vegetation greening and woody plant growth in African drylands, challenging the traditional desertification narrative.
CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Geography
SooJin Park, Steven Deller
Summary: The current crisis in US agriculture has led to increasing farm bankruptcies, resulting in a hollowing out of the middle in the distribution of farm size and growth in the number of very large and small farms. More part-time farmers are operating farms, impacting the well-being of rural communities, with conflicting evidence on the impact of farm structure on community well-being.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bowen Chen, Nelson B. Villoria
Summary: International trade helps to balance food price fluctuations caused by seasonal imbalances in domestic supply and demand. However, it also introduces the risk of importing price volatility. This study examines the impact of maize yield shocks in exporting countries on maize price variability in importing countries. The findings indicate that extreme below-trend reductions in maize yields in exporting countries lead to increased intra-annual price variability in importing countries, while above-trend yields are associated with reduced variability.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Ross Kingwell
Summary: Agriculture is being encouraged to become carbon neutral, with agricultural land seen as a potential source of carbon sequestration. However, achieving local carbon neutrality in agricultural regions comes with an economic cost, influenced by current greenhouse gas emissions patterns and spatial costs. A study on Western Australia's agricultural region estimates the cost of achieving carbon neutrality through reforestation, with considerations for social and political pressures limiting reforestation of farmland. The annual cost of achieving regional carbon neutrality through prescribed regional reforestation is estimated to range from AUD216 million to AUD250 million, suggesting commercial feasibility but potentially reducing farm business profits by 15% without additional incentives.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alison Walsh, Ross Kingwell
Summary: Glyphosate and paraquat, widely used non-selective herbicides in Australian agriculture, are facing the threat of bans due to potential negative impacts on farming systems and profitability. If banned, Australia may see increased production costs, decreased profits, and a shift towards sheep production rather than cropping. However, a global ban on these herbicides could actually benefit Australian farm businesses due to their lower reliance on glyphosate-tolerant crops.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
S. K. Muir, R. Behrendt, M. Moniruzzaman, G. Kearney, M. Knight
Summary: Research showed that methane emissions in sheep were correlated with daily DMI and time since the last meal. Sheep fed at lower feeding levels tended to produce less methane. The impact of feeding behavior and time since the last meal should be considered in feeding protocols.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Business
S. C. West, A. W. Mugera, R. S. Kingwell
Summary: The Debreu-Farrell measure of technical efficiency is limited in providing policy insights for achieving the best possible productivity level, and alternative measures such as total factor productivity efficiency should be considered.
JOURNAL OF PRODUCTIVITY ANALYSIS
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Michael Young, Philip E. Vercoe, Ross S. Kingwell
Summary: The stocking rate of sheep has a significant impact on farm profit, making it a challenging task to determine the optimal rate. Inconsistent definitions of stocking rate can lead to misunderstandings. Determining the optimal rate involves considering various factors, such as feed availability, nutritional requirements, costs, and prices. While farmers often rely on personal judgement, it is not an easy decision due to the complexities involved.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
S. Kharel, C. d'Abbadie, A. Abadi, R. Kingwell
Summary: This study used bioeconomic modelling to analyze the impact of land use changes on greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural region of south-western Australia, revealing cost-effective reduction strategies for emissions in different locations.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Michael Young, John Young, Ross S. Kingwell, Philip E. Vercoe
Summary: The trade-off between accuracy and complexity is a common issue in farm systems analysis. This study compares the performance of two optimization models in representing weather-year sequence in farm modeling. The results show that single-year stochastic programming generates similar expected profit and strategic management as multi-year stochastic programming. However, optimal tactical farm management is affected by the outcome of the previous year. Technology changes over the last decade have made it easier to construct and apply the optimization models, but choosing the best framework for a specific issue or opportunity remains a challenge.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sineka Munidasa, Brendan Cullen, Richard Eckard, Saranika Talukder, Lachlan Barnes, Long Cheng
Summary: This study compared methane emissions and emission intensity of milk production across different feeding systems in northern Victoria, Australia. The results show that Feeding-system 4-5 had higher methane emissions but lower emission intensity than pasture-based systems, which suggests that a move towards Feeding-system 4-5 could help reduce methane emission.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Sarah E. Mcdonald, Warwick Badgery, Simon Clarendon, Susan Orgill, Katrina Sinclair, Rachelle Meyer, Dominique Bowen Butchart, Richard Eckard, David Rowlings, Peter Grace, Natalie Doran-Browne, Steven Harden, Ainslie Macdonald, Anibal Nahuel Alejandro Pachas, Michael Wellington, Rowan Eisner, Martin Amidy, Matthew Tom Harrison
Summary: The livestock industry in Australia has a significant impact on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing soil carbon storage in grazing lands can help achieve the net-zero emissions goal, while also potentially improving production and providing other ecosystem services. This review and meta-analysis found no significant impact of stocking intensity or method on soil carbon sequestration, but lower stocking intensity and rotational grazing had positive effects on herbage mass and ground cover.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ross Kingwell
Summary: Several agricultural organisations in Australia aim to make Australian agriculture carbon neutral by 2050. However, projected adverse climate change may increase the cost of achieving carbon neutrality through reforestation in southwest Australia. Despite the potential cost increase, research and innovation in agricultural R & D are crucial in reducing agricultural emissions and achieving carbon neutrality.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
J. W. Powell, J. M. Welsh, D. Pannell, R. Kingwell
Summary: The study found that there is a potential for 50% of Australian sugarcane farmers to adopt solar PV systems for irrigation in the next 10 years. Farmers’ decisions are predicted to be influenced by factors such as economic and environmental benefits, ease of use, existing knowledge, business risk, and financial position.
CLEANER ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
R. Behrendt, S. K. Muir, M. Moniruzzaman, G. Kearney, M. I. Knight
Summary: The study found that sheep can quickly adapt and respond to changes in daily allowance and offered meal size, but the similar number of non-feeding events at different proportions of maintenance feeding suggest that non-feeding events may not reflect levels of hunger.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
M. C. Raeside, J. Byron, F. Cameron, C. MacDonald, D. L. Partington, G. A. Kearney, R. Behrendt
Summary: The research found that grazing spring-sown winter-type canola during summer and autumn in southern Australia does not result in a grain-yield penalty, but further grazing or defoliation during winter when bud elongation commences can lead to significant reductions in grain yield.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jonathon Tocker, Ralph Behrendt, Margaret Raeside, Bill Malcolm
Summary: Mating ewe lambs at around 7 months of age is considered a way to increase profits and reduce risks in sheep farms in south-west Victoria, Australia. Utilizing spring-sown canola or lucerne forage for ewe-lamb mating provides the best returns on capital relative to the risks involved.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
M. C. Raeside, J. Byron, F. Cameron, C. MacDonald, S. Rochfort, D. L. Partington, G. A. Kearney, R. Behrendt
Summary: The research aimed to determine the impact of grazing summer-active pastures or brassica forages on ewe lamb liveweight, condition score, conception, and reproductive rate during mating compared to a system using perennial ryegrass plus supplement. Results showed that ewe lambs grazing canola or forage brassica had higher liveweight gains during mating compared to those grazing perennial ryegrass, indicating the potential for improved reproductive performance with certain forage options.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Elise Audouin, Mariana Odru, Dominique Masse, Gualbert Seraphin Dorego, Valerie Delaunay, Philippe Lecomte, Jonathan Vayssieres
Summary: Agricultural intensification is important for food security and limiting rural exodus in sub-Saharan Africa. Livestock farming has the potential to improve the sustainability of farming systems, but landscape-level studies are rare. By considering the interactions between animals, crops, and trees, the landscape level is the only level where the impacts of livestock farming can be fully understood. This study developed a methodology to compare different livestock systems based on territorial metabolism and sustainability indicators.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Idsert Jelsma, Turinah, Frederic Gay, Jean Ollivier, Bruno Rapidel
Summary: Our study aims to analyze the resilience of farmer organizations in the Ophir plantation during replanting. By examining a 40-year period in five farmer cooperatives, we provide unique insights on the dynamics that influence the resilience of farmer organizations, shed light on smallholder oil palm replanting strategies, and draw several key lessons from this case.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maria Rodriguez-Barillas, Laurens Klerkx, P. Marijn Poortvliet
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alexis Thoumazeau, Romane Mettauer, Turinah, Heri Junedi, Victor Baron, Cecile Cheron-Bessou, Jean Ollivier
Summary: This study investigates the effects of fertilization and understory vegetation management on soil health and oil palm performances. It aimed to isolate and decipher the specific effects of some key practices on the overall plantation performances.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Pritha Datta, Bhagirath Behera, Dil Bahadur Rahut
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the potential of South Asian agroforestry systems as a viable agroecological approach for ensuring farmers' food security. A systematic literature review found that out of 95 reviewed studies, only nine focused on food security and none of them examined all four dimensions of food security simultaneously. Moreover, the majority of studies were skewed towards the Himalayan belt and lacked quantitative measurement, making it challenging to determine the significance of this field.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Octave Lacroix, Francoise Lescourret, Michel Genard, Mohamed-Mahmoud Memah, Gilles Vercambre, Pierre Valsesia, Daniele Bevacqua, Isabelle Grechi
Summary: In this study, a pest-crop model was developed to examine the impact of multiple pests on fruit tree functioning and ecosystem services provided by orchards. Through simulations and analysis, it was found that pests significantly affected indicators such as fruit sugar content, marketable yield, carbon sequestration, and water drainage.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Malve Heinz, Valeria Galetti, Annelie Holzka
Summary: This paper presents an innovative approach for identifying climate-adapted alternative food crops that can help diversify existing cropping systems, increase their climate resilience, and contribute to nutritious plant-based regional diets with reduced emissions.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Vianny Ahimbisibwe, Eliza Zhunusova, Habtemariam Kassa, Sven Guenter
Summary: This study examines the technical efficiency levels of home gardens and woodlot systems in Ethiopia and investigates the factors that contribute to technical efficiency.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Robert Huber, Bartosz Bartkowski, Calum Brown, Nadja El Benni, Jan-Henning Feil, Pascal Grohmann, Ineke Joormann, Heidi Leonhardt, Hermine Mitter, Birgit Mueller
Summary: Farm typologies help identify patterns in farm systems and support agricultural policy design, but they are often developed without much connection to previous studies and policy making.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mina Devkota, Krishna Prasad Devkota, Gokul Prasad Paudel, Timothy J. Krupnik, Andrew James McDonald
Summary: Wheat production in the Terai region of Nepal has not met the increasing demand, with low average productivity and high spatial and temporal variability. This study identifies strategies for closing yield gaps through field surveys, on-farm experiments, and simulation models. The results suggest that improving agronomic practices, such as fertilization and irrigation management, can significantly increase wheat productivity.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Angie Haslem, Andrew F. Bennett, James Q. Radford
Summary: This study integrates knowledge on the benefits and disbenefits of (semi)natural vegetation on farms for achieving six objectives, and develops a conceptual model of the relationships between these objectives and different types of vegetation. The results show that (semi)natural vegetation provides more benefits than disbenefits, with greater support for the benefits of native vegetation. Farm-level restoration contributes towards reversing vegetation loss, but the process takes time. Management practices play a role in enhancing the benefits of (semi)natural vegetation.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Aymeric Mondiere, Michael S. Corson, Julie Auberger, Daphne Durant, Sylvain Foray, Jean-Francois Glinec, Penny Green, Sandra Novak, Frederic Signoret, Hayo M. G. van der Werf
Summary: This study assessed the productivity and environmental impacts of different livestock production systems and found that biodiversity-friendly systems perform better in terms of environmental impact. The results emphasize the importance of considering the multiple functions and overall environmental performance of these systems.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Nadine Andrieu, Elodie Dorey, Steewy Lakhia, Paul Meynard, Esther Hatil, Loic Normand, Jean-Luc Gourdine, Jean-Christophe Bambou
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Philipp Loew, Bernhard Osterburg
Summary: This study evaluated the nitrogen performance of the German agricultural sector and identified the potential for nitrogen utilization in different farm types. The study also revealed the relationships between nitrogen performance and independent variables such as soil fertility, crop selection and diversity, production type, operating profit, and consulting services received.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Rika Ratna Sari, Lisa Tanika, Erika N. Speelman, Danny Dwi Saputra, Arief Lukman Hakim, Danae M. A. Rozendaal, Kurniatun Hairiah, Meine van Noordwijk
Summary: This study aims to clarify the design principles of the FORCES game and apply it to diverse watershed contexts. The game design balances generic and site-specific information, and the performance and impact of the game are evaluated through testing and assessment.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
