Total Environment Research Themes最新文献

Thermal comfort prediction is an important issue, as it can largely influence occupants’ well-being and buildings’ energy consumption. Nowadays, models used to assess thermal comfort have been increasingly discussed, and a growing number of data-driven models with several input parameters developed. Although these models allow reasonably accurate predictions of thermal comfort, using complex algorithms to determine thermal comfort might be unsuitable for some use cases, such as quick estimations or real-time control of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.

In this paper, a data-driven model was developed based on 61710 samples of subjective responses associated with environmental parameters from field studies available in two ASHRAE databases. Two models resulted from this analysis, one with higher accuracy and one simplified, which improved the prediction in comparison to other regression models and PMV.

However, since thermal comfort cannot be conceived as a punctual condition, comfort areas were derived, i.e., respective comfort ranges at 90%, 80%, and 70% of thermal acceptability. The result is that the error in the prediction of the new models is below the 90% acceptable range, which means that the models' error does not lead to a reduction in the evaluation of occupant comfort.

Built upon influential parameters, these models enable thermal comfort estimates and occupant-centered HVAC control. The notion of comfort as a non-fixed state empowers more flexible building management criteria, reducing energy use while upholding indoor comfort.

Gender inequality occurs when one gender is given preferential treatment over another due to sex or gender-based prejudice. In the current study, the obvious women's underrepresentation in positions of authority, in addition to the continuing gender wage disparity, serve as unambiguous indicators that the fundamental human right to gender equality is being violated. This study investigates the connection between the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, or SDGs, and equality for gender. We examine the effects of disparities in gender on the accomplishment of the SDGs and the function of policies that are gender-responsive in advancing sustainable development using empirical data from diverse nations. Our findings show that gender disparity is a major impediment to attaining SDGs, especially in the areas like reducing health, education, poverty, and economic growth. We also demonstrate how gender-responsive policies and initiatives can help remove these obstacles and advance women's suffrage and gender equality. According to our analysis, fulfilling SDG 5, which is concerned with achieving gender parity and promoting independence among women and girls, is important to accomplishing the SDGs and developing sustainable practices. Progress towards achieving SDG 5 has been uneven, and significant challenges remained. Gender equality enhances productivity and economic outcomes could increase GDP by up to 34%. Climate change exacerbate gender inequalities by reinforcing traditional gender roles & limiting women's opportunities. Ensuring gender equality in environmental policy promotes sustainable & equitable development. The performance of environment related SDGs are highly dependent on gender equality.

As a material artefact, infrastructure also exists by virtue of the interactions of humans, and both human and non-human (technical/infrastructural artefacts) entities. Lying at the intersection between human and non-human entities, infrastructure serves to illustrate how stakeholders understand their environment and try to manage/dominate it. Rivers, and in particular large rivers, are used for a number of anthropogenic purposes (drinking water supply, energy generation, river transport, etc.); they are often heavily exploited. As such, they no longer are simply natural artefacts, but rather super-infrastructure, supporting numerous engineering works and activities. Two case studies are presented in this article: new projects of piping and storing water on Seine; solutions proposed to fight against low flows on Rhine. They illustrate two possible aspects of the impact of climate change and the way in which human communities plan to adapt in coping with both low flows and flooding. In each case, the desire to preserve as much as possible of the existing situation, the so-called “business as usual”, and not call into question the functioning of socio-technical systems has prevailed. This article shows that whatever the configuration of the hazard (low flows or flooding, which is more widely addressed in the scientific literature), the preferred solution is primarily based on hard infrastructure, which gives the impression to public authorities and businesses (impacted by hazards or taking advantage of the river) of being able to mitigate the problem encountered by countering the force of nature.

Cyanobacteria and aquatic insects are major components of food webs in freshwater ecosystems. However, the functional relationship between cyanobacteria and aquatic insects has been poorly studied. The blooms of cyanobacteria are more likely to intensify with rising temperatures, such that climate warming may influence this relationship. To improve our understanding of this relationship, we performed a systematic literature review (SLR) and analyzed 104 peer-reviewed research articles published between 1985 and 2020. The articles were categorized into three themes: the role of cyanobacteria as food source and habitat for aquatic insects, the impact of cyanotoxins on aquatic insects, and the use of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) expressing transgenic cyanobacteria to control Diptera, mainly mosquitoes. Major findings on each of these themes were summarized and research gaps and opportunities were highlighted. Major gaps include the lack of ecological modelling studies that describe or model this relation, the absence of studies of cyanotoxins’ impact on key aquatic insects like dragonflies (Odonata), the impact of Bt larvicidal engineered cyanobacteria on biological indicators like Chironomidae, the lack of studies on climate change impacts on the functional links between cyanobacteria, aquatic insects and other organisms. These gaps and research opportunities should be addressed in future research to increase the understanding of the relationship between cyanobacteria and aquatic insects and therefore the biology of freshwater ecosystems.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the adaptation measures taken by wine-growers to adapt to water stress and the factors influencing these choices in the cross-border region of the Upper Rhine. The cross-country comparison shows similar adaptation strategies, in spite of regulatory differences. Actually, the differences are much more pronounced at the local scale, independently on the country. This situation can be explained by technical constraints at the local scale and social constraints at the regional scale, which are often hidden by the first obstacle encountered: the PDO specifications. We conclude that adaptation strategies need to better consider the local scale and the identity and specificity of the Rhine vineyards.

Ponds are important small water-bodies in the world and they provide numerous ecosystem services. The conservation of pond components (aquatic fauna and flora) is precious and understanding of the effect of environmental variables on morphological variations found in prawn populations is obligatory. The present study thus aimed to describe the morphometric variation in freshwater prawn in ponds of South India. The freshwater prawns were collected from 10 sites in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu province. The degree of association between environmental variables and distribution of prawn in sampling sites was tested using statistical analyses. Result of the study shows that only one freshwater prawn species (Caridina) was collected. Among environmental variables, conductivity influenced significantly with the distribution of Caridina population revealed by Principal Component Analysis. Overall, distinct environmental variables influenced significantly the morphometry of the freshwater prawn in ponds.

Marine zooplanktons which play a vital role in providing enormous ecosystem services are strongly affected by the environmental conditions and play a vital role in marine food web. The present study was an attempt to assess the hydro-geochemical characteristics and zooplankton assemblages along the Alappuzha coast, in Arabian Sea, Kerala, India. Zooplankton composition included eighteen species belonging to six groups. Among zooplankton species, copepods showed greater dominance in the coast. Euterpina acutiferous recorded greater dominance at stations II, III and VI, whereas Calanus finmarchicus dominated stations I, IV and VII and Apocyclops panamensis, at station V. PCA plot illustrated that station IV showed higher values in the distribution of atmospheric and sediment temperature, turbidity, carbon dioxide and sediment organic carbon, whereas dissolved oxygen, TDS, conductivity, hardness and salinity showed higher values at station VII. From the CCA plot it was evident that parameters like atmospheric temperature, surface water pH, sediment redox potential, organic carbon, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide had strong influence in the distribution of Calanus finmarchicus. Sediment temperature and biological oxygen demand had strong influence on Euterpina acutiferous. As most of the zooplankton assemblages in the present study are excellent live feeds, regular bio monitoring is recommended for preserving these resources.

Many aquatic ecosystems are vulnerable to many pollutants, particularly heavy metals that are now a threat to public health. It may be more effective to manage pollution in waterways if we can better understand the connection between heavy metals in sediments and their accumulation in green mussels. In this study, lead levels in green mussels (Perna viridis) were above the permissible maximum level (WHO, Malaysia Food Regulation, and the FAO). Moreover, zinc levels exceeded the FAO's maximum recommended range. The fractionate of heavy metals in surface sediment from the eastern part of the Johore Straits was investigated using the sequential extraction techniques (SET) method. In the majority of sampling stations, copper's chemical speciation followed the following order: residual > oxidisable-organic > exchangeable > acid reducible, while zinc's and lead's chemical speciation followed the following pattern: residual > oxidisable-organic > acid reducible > exchangeable. The results of Pearson's correlation studies demonstrated a substantial association between Zn concentration in the tissues of green mussels and total Zinc, exchangeable (F1), acid-reducible (F2), and residual (F4) Zn in surface sediment. Green mussel Cu content and surface sediment Cu of exchangeable (F1), residual (F4), and total Cu were found to correlate. As a result, green mussels are being used as a biomonitoring agent for heavy metal contamination on the eastern side of the Straits of Johor in Malaysia.

It is crucial to look at the spatiotemporal meteorological dynamics from the perspective of climatic variability, especially in nations where prevalent rain-fed agri-farming occurs. The degree of the components' variability or volatility varies depending on the locale. This study examined the temperature and rainfall patterns in the Guwahati city of Assam state of India. To examine the patterns, this study employed observed historical weather data from 1970 to 2019. The concerns were analysed using tools like the Mann-Kendall (MK) test, Sen's slope predictor, and linear regression. Temperature showed an upward trend for yearly and seasonal periods and was statistically significant at 95%. According to the findings, overall annual seasonal rainfall is increasing over time. In particular, there is a considerable drop in monsoon and winter precipitation, while both pre-monsoon and post-monsoon months witnessed an increasing precipitation trend, particularly over the past 50 years. A thorough review of the data for 50 years demonstrates that yearly temperature minimums and maximums have increased while the Guwahati city seasonal temperature minimums and maximums have also increased. The ARIMA findings indicated that annual average precipitation, maximum, minimum and average temperatures would quickly climb in coming years. The annual average values for precipitation, maximum, minimum and average temperatures would be 3988.5 mm, 35.75 °C, 23.33 °C and 28.40 °C, respectively by the year 2029. Researchers studying climate change, policymakers, and decision-makers will use the study's findings as a guide.

The aim of this investigation is to comprehend the ecological risk of microplastics in surface sediments of selected estuaries (Kadinamkulam, Anchuthengu and Kappil-Hariharapuram estuaries) along the southwest coast of Kerala, India. The studied tropical estuaries of Kerala found totally 407 microplastic particles in the surface sediments. Among these, 117 MPs found from the Kadinamkulam estuary, 182 MPs found from the Anchuthengu estuary and 108 MPs found from the Kappil-Hariharapuram estuary. The sediments were dominated by colour microplastics followed by white verities (Colour microplastic – Kadinamkulam: 80.34 %, Anchuthengu - Kappil- Hariharapuram: 78 %). The Polymer hazard index (PHI) of the study area reveals that the value of PHI exceeds > 1000 due to the presence of hazard scores polymers such as polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP). The outcome of the PHI and PERI suggest that the estuarine sediments were falling under high ecological risk and these microplastics were primarily derived from river inflow and urbanized areas around the estuarine system.