Environmental and Sustainability Indicators最新文献

Biological surrogates are valuable for conservation when they are easy and cost-effective to sample, sensitive to anthropogenic change, and show similar assemblage patterns to other taxa. The umbrella index (UI) developed by Fleishman et al. (2000), aims to conserve most species in an ecosystem by focusing on a single or small group of co-occurring species to represent all species present. Here we focus on various lentic aquatic insects (‘aquatic insects’ henceforth refers to aquatic beetles, aquatic bugs, and dragonfly larvae), adult dragonflies, frogs, and aquatic plants as potential surrogates for pond communities in the Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. There were some cross-taxon correlations, but these were too weak to consider for surrogacy, largely due to dissimilar responses to the same environmental gradients. However, using UI we identified five dragonfly species, nine aquatic insect species, and three frog species as potential umbrella groups for their own taxa. The UI for same-group surrogates was flexible and covered most taxa, ranging from co-occurring habitat generalists to rare specialist species. Furthermore, all four endemic species sampled here were effective surrogate species for other local taxa, with two of them ranking top in their own taxonomic group. The lack of congruence among the different taxa means that one taxon cannot be used to stand in for another. However, the UI allowed efficient site prioritization, so long as a multi-taxon approach is used. We recommend the UI approach when selecting surrogates to represent aquatic fauna within a pondscape of the Midlands of South Africa.

With steady population growth and formidable development issues, understanding Africa is crucial for reaching global sustainability. Through policy support, societies have embraced indicators and their composite indices as tools to create benchmark initiatives, assess current conditions, and help set future development targets. Responding, a paralyzing amount of these metrics are now available for decision-makers, practitioners, and researchers to choose from causing difficulties during their applied use. Further, the number of underlying development dimensions essential for capturing all aspects of sustainability remains undetermined. Building upon other continental studies, this research first condensed and described a set of 44 multi-metric sustainability indices across 52 African nations. A factor analysis uncovered 11 significant sustainable development dimensions (factors) that conveyed over 79% of the total variation of the original 44 indices. Next, the 11 latent dimensions were combined (aggregated) into a mega-index of sustainable development (MISD). Lastly, Ward's cluster analysis was used to create country-bundles of similarity from the 11 factors. The four strongest hidden dimensions expressed: (F1) human well-being synergies; (F2) governance and liberty; (F3) economic stability; (F4) happiness and innovation. The human well-being synergies dimension (F1) explained over one-third of the total variance, and had greatest improved conditions in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. MISD ranked Namibia best, then Ghana, Gabon, Kenya, and Zambia; Seychelles ranked worst, then Eritrea, Burundi, Comoros, and Mauritania. Cluster analysis revealed a six-bundle solution. This cross-country analysis spotlights the underrepresentation of planetary boundaries within existing development indices. Lastly, favorable development dimensions were rarely found spatially concordant.

The promotion of climate-resilient practices (CRPs) requires the development of the capacity of farmers to adopt these practices owing to the knowledge-intensive nature of technologies. Extension services serve as a conduit for facilitating the conceptualization of CRPs and are instrumental in improving the resiliency and mitigation of climate change. We used a social-ecological framework and a multivariate probit model to analyze the drivers of the CRP uptake in moisture-stressed areas in Ethiopia, with a particular focus on extension services. Unlike previous studies that investigated a single technology, we considered a bundle of technologies. We focused on the use of two capital-intensive CRPs (drought-resistant seed and inorganic fertilizer) and four knowledge-intensive CRPs (minimum tillage, farmyard manure, water-saving technology, and crop residue retention). The role of extension services in promoting other CRPs beyond input and capital-intensive technologies was insignificant. Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the correlation between extension services and the adoption of other knowledge-intensive natural resource management practices holds irrespective of the proximity to the extension service providers. This finding highlights the need for targeted and tailored interventions that support farmers to address the challenges faced by them in moisture-stressed areas. Accordingly, we propose continuously improving the ability of the extension service providers to promote climate-change adaptation knowledge and practices. This should be accompanied by efforts to strengthen a pluralistic extension system, improve land tenure security, and decrease transaction costs for farmers through output market linkages.

Urban green spaces, particularly street trees and greenways, are increasingly recognized as tools for mitigating air pollution. However, their effectiveness can vary depending on their configuration and urban canyon geometry. This study, aimed at providing practical solutions, assessed the impact of different green space configurations, including street trees, green lanes, green walls, and hedges, on particulate matter (PM) concentrations within urban canyons of varying aspect ratios by employing environmental simulations and wind tunnel tests performed in ENVI-met software.

Results demonstrate that green walls significantly outperform street trees in reducing PM concentrations by up to 43%, attributing this to reduced air flow disruption. Green walls also create a more uniform PM distribution within canyons, decreasing concentration differences by 31% compared to green (tree) lanes. Conversely, dense tree lanes exacerbate PM deposition due to wind flow interference.

These findings suggest that incorporating green walls into urban design can be a highly effective strategy for improving air quality within densely built environments.

The Himalayan forests are vulnerable to climate change leading to disturb the current flow of critical ecosystem services to the dependent population. Present study attempts to evaluate the current vulnerability status of major forest types in Nagaland, India due to climate change along with identifying the hot spots for mitigating the vulnerability of the forests. Vulnerability of mixed moist deciduous, pine, wet hill and wet temperate forests were evaluated using the IPCC framework. Local Moran's I analysis, hot spot analysis and a histogram analysis of the vulnerability were made in QGIS. Field data such as Shannon-Wiener Index and Importance Value Index along with secondary data such as edaphic factors, vegetation factors and climatic variables were used for vulnerability analysis. Analysis results that mixed moist deciduous forests had the highest area in under high-high clusters, hot spots and was highly vulnerable. The result suggests that very dense or moderately dense forest cover were less vulnerable than low density forests in the region. The study provides baseline information along with identification of vulnerable hot spot forests for future climate change policy and management of resources at the division level. The study suggests strengthening the less dense forests along with increasing the biodiversity through suitable strategy for mitigating the vulnerability.

The Economic Monetary Valuation (EMV) of Ecosystem Services (ESs) and Natural Capital (NC) has been proposed and pursued by several scholars as an effective way to make the vital role of Nature evident and appropriately accounted for in our complex relationship with Her. Other scholars have negatively reacted to this approach, considering it an unethical commodification of Nature that can only lead to a “shopping mall” view of Her, meaningless and even dangerous. It has been said that by following this same line of thought, the next step might be estimating even God's value. In this sense, the EMV of ESs&NC would resemble some “laical blasphemy.” We argue that “God,” when viewed as synonymous with the “willingness to pay” to perpetuate religious faith and as an attractor of religious tourism and pilgrimages, is a terrific economic asset whose value can be estimated in monetary terms. We assessed “God” ‘s EMV (in the previously specified sense), showing that this more mundane appraisal is neither necessarily unethical nor diminishes the sacred and immaterial relevance of religions and beliefs. Thus, we consider by analogy that although the value of Nature, like that of “God,” can never be entirely accounted for by monetary estimation, the EMV of ESs&NC is ethically acceptable. Moreover, the successful application of EMV to NC&ESs supports its usefulness and effectiveness in showing, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Nature counts by making us healthier, wealthier, and, last but not least, happier through both material and immaterial goods, services, and experiences.

Global crop production is significantly reduced by rapid changes in the climate, either by natural or manmade activities. The frequent application of various fertilizers, has resulted in soil pollution, which is further exacerbated by water scarcity. The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has led to devastating consequences such as reduction of soil fertility, environmental contamination, increased insect resistance, destroyed biodiversity, and ultimately resulted in heavy economic losses. Another approach being investigated and explored is the use of biofertilizers, which is a better supplement to improve crop yields without harming the environment. However, a significant challenge lies in the fact that plants cannot utilize whole biofertilizer intact, as much of the portion remained unabsorbed or became part of the soil instead of reaching the targeted site. This problem can be solved by nanotechnology; nano-biofertilizers increase tolerance against abiotic stresses. They improve plant morphology, biochemistry and yield, as well as soil composition. Thus, in comparison to conventional chemical fertilizers, nano-biofertilizer produce eco-friendly, sustainable and longer-lasting outcomes. This paper discusses a review of biofertilizer formulations based on nanotechnology for sustainable agriculture development. The invention and application of nano-biofertilizer on various plant species is highlighted in this paper, along with how it improves the growth and development of plants.

Cooperative fisheries are increasingly recognized as a promising approach for small-scale fisheries management. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the key elements that drive sustainability within these cooperatives. This survey study aims to develop a sustainability performance checklist tailored for fisheries cooperatives throughout their lifecycle. Initially, a preliminary list of five-point Likert scale sustainability factors was created and reviewed through interviews with experts from both fisheries academic and executive sectors. Their feedback contributed to refining the checklist, ensuring its relevance, clarity, and simplicity. Experts from both the academic and executive sectors of fisheries cooperatives have confirmed the content validity of the economic, social, and environmental criteria included in the checklist. The data collected across 61 cooperatives. To identify the key factors influencing the sustainability performance of fisheries cooperatives throughout their lifecycle, a factor analysis was performed, employing the Varimax rotation method. The findings indicate that economic considerations are the primary focus during the initial establishment of fisheries cooperatives. As these cooperatives evolve through the growth and consolidation phases, social factors become increasingly significant. Additionally, the study highlights the essential role of environmental aspects in maintaining the stability and balance of these cooperatives. The research underscores the interdependence of economic, social, and environmental elements in fostering the sustainability of fisheries cooperatives. These insights are particularly relevant for policymakers, managers, and stakeholders in fisheries management. Furthermore, the developed sustainability performance checklist and weighting system can effectively assist in assessing and enhancing the sustainability of fisheries cooperatives.

Establishing connections between ecosystems and agricultural mechanization can help address erroneous decision-making in agricultural management and prevent further harm to ecosystems. It is essential for authorities and decision-makers in the agricultural sector to understand ecosystem dynamics and influencing factors to develop appropriate policies for sustainable development. This study focuses on identifying optimal conditions for determining crop patterns and input allocation in Ilam province's agricultural practices, considering technical and energy parameters. Cultivating one hectare of wheat and barley in the region requires an average energy consumption of 1.79 GJ from various sources, with an estimated energy output of 38.04 GJ ha⁻¹ for these crops. The research involved farmers cultivating wheat, barley, fodder maize, and canola in the southern region of Ilam province, covering cities like Abdanan, Dareshahr, and Dehloran. The study suggests adjustments to cropping patterns, including reducing wheat cultivation and increasing irrigated fodder maize cultivation under optimal conditions. It also recommends exploring rainfed cultivation or enhancing the yield of rainfed wheat to offset the reduced wheat cultivation. The goal planning model indicates a shift towards sustainability, with changes in cropping patterns focusing on wheat, barley, fodder maize, and canola crops, including expanding the cultivation areas of irrigated wheat, barley, and fodder maize. Efforts aim to enhance the productivity of irrigated crops to promote sustainability and improve agricultural practices in the province for long-term sustainability goals.

The cropped area of Krishnagiri district is about 37 % of the total geographical area, and due to the utilization of non-agricultural purposes (8.2% of agricultural land) it is mandatory to increase the agricultural production to feed the people. So, this study has been planned to find the agricultural suitability and crop suitability of the Krishnagiri district using AHP-TOPSIS and GIS techniques. In this study, three main limiting factors, such as climate, soil, and topographical parameters (Annual average rainfall, Annual average temperature, slope, pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Soil organic carbon (SOC), available NPK, and soil texture), were used as criteria for the suitability of crops. All criteria maps were generated using Arc info 10.4 software. The AHP used to estimate the weight and TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) approach was assign the rank of each criterion for the suitability analysis. Based on the relative closeness to the ideal solution(pi), the generated crop suitability maps were categorized into five classes, namely “highly suitable (S₁), moderately suitable (S₂), marginally suitable (S₃), and not suitable (N)”. The results revealed that, crop suitability maps finds that that maize, field bean, cluster bean, groundnut, pomegranate, lemon, and lemongrass were highly suitable for the Krishnagiri district. Rice, cotton, sugarcane, sunflower, and cashewnut were moderately suitable, and vanilla was unsuitable. This study will guide farm managers and land policymakers in making decisions and assist farmers in selecting crops that are highly suitable for achieving potential yield and profit.