Environmental Science

Objectives: To present a general overview of rice agronomic practices and transplanting operations by considering the interactions of soil, plant, and machine relationship in line with the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) cultivation practice. Methods: Some of the problems challenging Malaysian rice growers, as well as yield increase and total rice production in the last four decades, were first addressed and discussed. The trend in the world rice production between 1961 and 2014 was used to predict the production in 2020 and to show that Southeast Asian countries are expected to increase their production by 27.2%. Findings: A consistently increasing pattern from 3.1 tons/ha during 1981 to 4.1 tons/ha in 2014 was observed in the rice yield of Malaysia due to the advances in technology and improved farming operations coupled with integrated management and control of resources. Various literatures were reviewed and their findings of the best transplanting practices were summarized to discuss how SRI contributes to the production of higher rice yield with improved transplanting practices through a more effective root system. Our review shows that wider spacing, availability of solar radiation, medium temperature, soil aeration, and nutrient supply promote shorter Phyllochrons which increase the number of tillers in rice. In this regard, modification and development of a transplanter that complies with SRI specification require determination of optimum transplanting spacing, seed rate, and planting pattern to significantly improve yield. Improvement: It was concluded that for maximum yield, the SRI method in Malaysia should emphasize on planting of one seedling per hill with space of 0.25 m for optimum water consumption, nutrient and pest management.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh keberadaan industri dan PLTU terhadap lingkungan di Provinsi Banten. Dengan analisis menggunakan metode DPSIR, diketahui impact dari emisi yang dihasilkan dari pembakaran batubara sebagai bahan baku PLTU serta dari industri adalah gangguan sistem pernafasan sebagai efek paling ringan, serta risiko kematian dini sebagai efek paling berat. Response yang telah dilakukan Pemerintah Provinsi Banten lebih banyak dari sisi hilir, seperti evaluasi, pembinaan, pengawasan serta penurunan beban pencemaran. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi upaya dari sisi hulu, yaitu perencanaan dan kebijakan yang tidak hanya berorientasi pada pembangunan ekonomi dan pencapaian target nasional saja, tetapi sektor lingkungan dan sosial juga dapat diinternalisasi. Salah satu upaya yang dapat dipertimbangkan adalah perhitungan PDRB hijau. Hasil perhitungan PDRB hijau di Provinsi Banten tahun 2018 sebesar Rp 396,6 T atau 91,4% dari nilai PDRB konvensional. Dengan hasil perhitungan PDRB hijau diharapkan dapat memberikan pemahaman pentingnya internalisasi lingkungan dalam pembangunan.

Background: There is accumulating epidemiologic evidence that exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) and polyaromatic hydro carbons (PAHs), plays a role in etiology and prognosis of a large scale of illnesses, although the role of specific causal agents and underlying mechanisms for different health outcomes remains unknown. Objective: Our general objective was to assess the relations between personal exposure to traffic exhausts, in particular ambient PM 2.5 and PAHs, and the occurrence of DNA strand breaks by applying personal monitoring of PM and biomarkers of exposure (urinary 1-hydroxypyrene-glucuronide, 1-OHPG) and effect (urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG and DNA strand breaks). We recruited 91 traffic conductors and 53 indoor office workers between May 2009 and June 2011 in Taipei City, Taiwan. We used PM 2.5 personal samplers to collect breathing-zone particulate PAHs samples. Spot urine and blood samples after work shift of 2 consecutive days were analyzed for 1-OHPG, 8-OHdG and DNA strand breaks, respectively. Statistical methods included linear regression and mixed models. Results: Urinary 8-OHdG levels and the occurrence of DNA strand breaks in traffic conductors significantly exceeded those in indoor office workers in mixed models. Particulate PAHs levels showed a positive association with urinary 1-OHPG in the regression model (b = 0.056, p = 0.01). Urinary 1-OHPG levels were significantly associated with urinary 8-OHdG levels in the mixed model (b = 0.101, p = 0.023). Our results provide evidence that exposure to fine particulates causes DNA damage. Further, particulate PAHs could be biologically active constituents of PM 2.5 with reference to the induction of oxidative DNA damages.

Reliable and self-consistent data on air quality are needed for an extensive period of time for conducting longterm, or even lifetime health impact assessments. We have modelled the urban-scale concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area for a period of 35 years, from 1980 to 2014. The regional background concentrations were evaluated based on reanalyses of the atmospheric composition on global and European scales, using the SILAM model. The high-resolution urban computations included both the emissions originated from vehicular traffic (separately exhaust and suspension emissions) and those from small-scale combustion, and were conducted using the road network dispersion model CAR-FMI and the multiplesource Gaussian dispersion model UDM-FMI. The modelled concentrations of PM 2.5 agreed fairly well with the measured data at a regional background station and at four urban measurement stations, during 1999-2014. The modelled concentration trends were also evaluated for earlier years, until 1988, using proxy analyses. There was no systematic deterioration of the agreement of predictions and data for earlier years (the 1980s and 1990s), compared with the results for more recent years (2000s and early 2010s). The local vehicular emissions were about 5 times higher in the 1980s, compared with the emissions during the latest considered years. The local small-scale combustion emissions increased slightly over time. The highest urban concentrations of PM 2.5 occurred in the 1980s; these have since decreased to about to a half of the highest values. In general, regional background was the largest contribution in this area. Vehicular exhaust has been the most important local source, but the relative shares of both small-scale combustion and vehicular non-exhaust emissions have increased in time. The study has provided long-term, high-resolution concentration databases on regional and urban scales that can be used for the assessment of health effects associated with air pollution.

Rainfall is a key component in the construction of many engineering projects, including canals, bridges, culverts, and road drainage systems. The primary goal of this study is to ascertain the annual, monthly and seasonal fluctuations in rainfall in Biratnagar, Nepal over a period of 10 years (2010-2019). The mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, skewness, kurtosis, Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI), normal rainfall along with Mann-Kendall test were calculated to check the rainfall variations. The annual data showed the biggest varieties in rainfall, with an average annual rainfall of 1542.43 mm during a ten years period. Furthermore, an erratic monthly rainfall pattern was found by the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test. However, the test value for each month was non-significant at the 5% level of significance. We also found that the rainfall is least in the winter and most during monsoon season. Based on these calculations, It is seen that the pattern of rainfall...

The new ORC-VCC combined system is analyzed. It is a new system that can be operated in four modes depending on the type of energy. The novelty of the system appears essentially in the development of new ORC-VCC combination architecture, the lowering of the condensation temperature, the possibility of cold production by the ORC cycle affected by the pumping phase, preheating of fluid cycle using the VCC cycle fluid, and new configurations based on the integration of heat recovery systems to improve overall system performance. In addition, each installation mode has several configurations depending on the recovery points that will be integrated later, besides its adaptation to any energy source, where we can use biomass, solar, and heat rejects of industry at low temperatures (60–130°C). This system can produce under and above zero temperature. Although, due to its architecture, it is also characterized by many combination of selection fluid for the ORC and VCC cycles, it is not nece...

This manuscript presents a new combination based on a thermodynamic conversion, the idea is to combine the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) with the Vapor Compression Cycle (VCC). The novelty of the system appears essentially in: the development of new ORC-VCC combination architecture, the lowering of the ORC cycle temperature, the possibility of cold production by the ORC cycle upstream of the pumping phase, preheating of ORC cycle using VCC cycle fluid and new configurations based on the integration of heat recovery systems to improve overall system performance. In addition, each installation mode has several configurations depending on the recovery points that will be integrated later, besides its adaptation to any energy source, where we can use biomass, solar and heat rejects of industry at low temperatures (80-160°C). This system can produce a cold with negative and positive temperatures. Although, thanks to its architecture, it is also characterized by many combination of selection fluid for the ORC and VCC cycles it is not necessarily to have the same working fluid as the classic systems. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the performance of a new system which combines Rankine-vapor compression cycle for the cogeneration of electricity and refrigeration. Coefficient of performance (COP) will be compared with other cooling systems and power system, such as the system turbo compressor Rankine. The fluids we used in the work are ammonia for the ORC and R600a for the VCC.

Agricultural production is under threat due to climate change in food insecure regions, especially in Asian countries. Various climate-driven extremes, i.e., drought, heat waves, erratic and intense rainfall patterns, storms, floods, and emerging insect pests have adversely affected the livelihood of the farmers. Future climatic predictions showed a significant increase in temperature, and erratic rainfall with higher intensity while variability exists in climatic patterns for climate extremes prediction. For mid-century (2040–2069), it is projected that there will be a rise of 2.8°C in maximum temperature and a 2.2°C in minimum temperature in Pakistan. To respond to the adverse effects of climate change scenarios, there is a need to optimize the climate-smart and resilient agricultural practices and technology for sustainable productivity. Therefore, a case study was carried out to quantify climate change effects on rice and wheat crops and to develop adaptation strategies for the ...

The construction industry is pivotal in advancing infrastructure but also contributes significantly to environmental degradation through waste generation. This research investigates waste management practices in three construction projects in Chittagong, Bangladesh, aiming to develop a feasible waste management policy. Through a rigorous analysis of site-specific data, the study identifies the types and quantities of waste generated and evaluates existing waste management practices. The paper proposes a policy focused on reducing waste through strategic planning, efficient resource utilization, and enhanced recycling efforts. While the study provides a foundational policy framework and contributes to sustainable construction practices, it also acknowledges its limitations due to the sample size and geographical focus. Future research directions include broader application and longitudinal studies to assess the policy's impact, integration of advanced technological tools for waste tracking, and a more in-depth stakeholder analysis to foster inclusive and comprehensive waste management solutions. This work serves as a stepping stone towards more sustainable construction practices, with implications for environmental, economic, and regulatory aspects of construction waste management.

Long term Atlantic tropical storm activity is described by the time series of the yearly Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Index for the time interval 1851-2007. ACE is a measure of total wind energy for North Atlantic basin and land falling tropical cyclone activity. Since the ACE index reflects a combination of storm intensity and duration it is a better measure of overall activity and likely damage than the number of either basin or land falling tropical storms or hurricanes. The yearly ACE time series is non-stationary, and one step toward detecting possible long-term quasi-periods is to detrend the original data. In this paper, we use a procedure for data transformation by which ACE index is fitted in least square sense with polynomials of increasing order, followed by detrend. It is shown that, with some approximation, the obtained time series is cyclostationary, and a multi-decadal oscillation is detectable, as indicated by the power spectrum analysis.

Evolution equations for probability density functions (PDFs) and filtered density functions (FDFs) of random species concentrations weighted by conserved scalars are formulated as Fokker-Planck equations describing stochastically equivalent processes in concentration-position spaces. This approach provides consistent numerical PDF/FDF solutions, given by the density in the concentration-position space of an ensemble of computational particles governed by the associated Itô equations. The solutions are obtained by a global random walk (GRW) algorithm, which is stable, free of numerical diffusion, and practically insensitive to the increase of the number of particles. The general FDF approach and the GRW numerical solution are illustrated for a reduced complexity problem consisting of the transport of a single scalar in groundwater. Randomness is induced by the stochastic parameterization of the hydraulic conductivity, characterized by short range correlations and small variance. The objective is to infer the statistics of the random concentration sampled at the plume center of mass, integrated over the transverse dimension of a two-dimensional spatial domain. The PDF/FDF problem can therefore be formulated in a two-dimensional domain as well, a spatial dimension and one in the concentration space. The upscaled drift and diffusion coefficients describing the PDF transport in the physical space are estimated on singletrajectories of diffusion in velocity fields with short-range correlations, owing to their self-averaging property. The mixing coefficients describing the PDF transport in concentration spaces are parameterized by the trend and the noise inferred from the statistical analysis of an ensemble of simulated concentration time series, as well as by classical mixing models. A Gaussian spatial filter applied to a Kraichnan velocity field generator is used to construct coarse-grained simulations (CGS) for FDF problems. The purposes of the CGS simulations are two-fold: first to understand the significance of the FDF approach from a practical point of view and its relation to the PDF approach; second to investigate the limits of the mixing models considered here and the desirable features of the mixing models for groundwater systems.

The tropopause is the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, so its height determines the nature of processes in the atmosphere and depends on them. The criterion for determining the height of the tropopause is a decrease in the vertical temperature gradient in a layer above 5 km and at least 2 km thick. Consequently, the uncertainty in determining the height of the section between the troposphere and the stratosphere is 2 km or more. In addition, the temperature profile changes due to the influence of many reasons, so sometimes the height of the tropopause cannot even be determined. The optical properties of air in the troposphere and stratosphere differ, which makes it possible to measure the height of the section with high accuracy using a radiosonde with an optical sensor. The launches of radiosondes with optical sensors made it possible to measure the height of the tropopause by changing the attenuation coefficient of visible light. It turned out that the lower edge of the tropopause corresponds to a sharp change in the attenuation coefficient. The repeatability of the results was confirmed by the simultaneous launch of radiosondes. The results of the work will be useful for the tasks of weather forecasting and climate research.

An attempt was made to study the impact of excreta from poultry birds fed with different levels of Azolla on water quality and performance of common carp. Day old broiler chicks were reared and brooded for 14 days on commercial pre-starter diet and from 15 day broilers were supplemented with 2 and 4% Azolla in their basal feed. Excreta from these birds were collected, sun dried and mixed with basal diet of fishes in ratio of 50:50 (Basal diet: excreta). 60 fingerlings of common carp were procured from Government fish hatchery, Jammu, acclimatized for one month with basal feed and regular water exchange. Experimental water in tubs of 100 L capacity was treated in duplicates along with control for a period of 28 days. There were no mortality and adverse impact was observed in behaviour of experimental fish. No significant differences were observed in growth parameters of fishes which may be attributed to short duration of experiment. All the water quality parameters were found to be i...

Warming, loss of sea icea and changes in ocean currents in the Arctic has led to biochemical changes in pelagic systems that propagate into, and disrupt the Arctic food web. The responses of plankton to environmental variability is critical in understanding how climate change may shape the structure of pelagic ecosystems in the Arctic. To further this understanding, we used a partial canonical correspondence analysis on remotely sensed and modelled hydroclimate together with plankton abundance data from the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey from the Barents Sea in the European Arcticone of the fastest warming regions globally -to assess the spatial and interannual variability of plankton community assemblages. The hydroclimate explained ~50 % of interannual variability in species assemblage of plankton communities. Calanus spp. copepod abundances were particularly sensitive to changes in the hydroclimate, which were strongly associated with the mixed layer depth and nutrient concentrations. In warmer years, where SST exceeded those predicted under various future climate scenarios, we saw evidence of thermal stratification of the water column that supported populations of appendicularians, and the potentially toxin-producing diatom Pseudo-nitzschia. Spatial variability of the assemblage was strongly associated SST and salinity gradients that reflect different water masses. Such changes to plankton assemblages in response to hydroclimatic variability are likely to impact trophic interactions with associated organisms, many with ecological and economic significance in Barents Sea food webs.

The carbon footprint (CFP) assessment of smallholders offers key information on the capacities and challenges for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation at farm scale. This allows prioritizing the practices that ensure both the food security of farmers and the low carbon impact associated to climate change. To tackle food security challenges and to maintain sustainable environment production, agroecological practices were planned for farmers in the Itasy region, Central Highlands of Madagascar. The project consisted of agroforestry and forestry systems, composting of organic matters, and system of rice intensification. The goals of this study were (i) to assess the CFP of farms in the Itasy region Central Madagascar, (ii) to assess the impact of agroecological practices adopted by farmers on farms CFP, and (iii) to compare the impact of Tier 1 and Tier 3 factors for carbon removal in woody biomass and in cropland soils on farms CFP. For these purposes, a survey of 192 representative farms was realized during the years 2012e2013. Agroecological practices integrated at farm scale reduced significantly farms CFP up to 364% in terms of land surface and up to 578% in terms of food production, suggesting an important GHG sequestration at farm scale. Main sources of GHG at farms scale were: nitrous oxide from soil management (25%), methane from rice cultivation (24%), livestock manure management (24%), and enteric fermentation (23%). Trees planted in agroforestry and forestry systems offered the highest GHG mitigation benefits. Tier 1 factors overestimated up to 7 times higher the farms CFP compared to Tier 3 factors. This study highlights that the integration of agro-ecological practices at farm scale offers significant GHG mitigation and carbon sequestration in Malagasy context, thus giving an alternative for climate change mitigation.

A renewable electricity system hybrid concentrated solar power/biomass power plantin Tunisia has been assessed. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Input-Output Analysis (IOA) methodologies have been performed to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts of this technology in the Tunisian context. Application of these methodologies allowed computing environmental footprint, and the total economic stimulation produced by the increase in the demand for goods and services needed to build and operate this kind of plant. Results show for system operates in closed digester conditions value of 18.5 gCO2eq per kWh. In an open digester system, levels of GHG emissions are similar to fossil electricity generation with 550 gCO2eq per Kwh. For socioeconomic impacts, the multiplier effect of the direct investment for production of goods and services amounts is 2.43. Domestic value added created was quantified in a 42% (0.15 €2015/kWh) and employment creation in 532.9 FTE (0.006 FTE/MWh). Finally, the calculated abatement costs are low, 86 US$/tCO2eq. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that investments in this technology are then a cost-effective way of mitigating global warming emissions while also producing additional benefits in terms of value-added creation in the country and domestic employment generation.

The purpose of the study is to develop an organizational model of the grain production cluster in the Nizhny Novgorod region, which will contribute to the formation of sustainable production and, as a result, increase the efficiency of the industry under study and strengthen food security in the region. The design of organizational structures was carried out by the method of analogies, which include the development of typical management structures of industrial and economic organizations and the definition of boundaries and conditions for their application. A cluster management system was developed, which consists of four blocks: a control block; production unit; processing and storage unit; block of education and science. Scientific novelty lies in the author’s approach to the development of a control system for the production of grain clusters. The proposed form will significantly increase the level of production sustainability among potential cluster members and strengthen food s...

Аннотация. Для оценки и прогноза пожарной опасности растительности по погодным и антропогенным условиям разработаны реляционные базы данных, включающих метеорологические показатели, сведения о пожарах растительности и социальноэкономические характеристики территории лесного и нелесного фонда. При построении логической структуры метеорологической базы использованы алгоритмы аналитической обработки данных OLAP, особенностью базы данных пожаров растительности и показателей напряженности сезонов является фиксация местоположения пожаров растительности по номерам кварталов участковых лесничеств и применение агрегирующих SQL-запросов для определения характеристик пожароопасного сезона на основе многолетних наблюдений.

Environmental media of Dr. Abubakar Sola Saraki memorial abattoir, Akerebiata, Ilorin.The quality of air around the abattoir was assessed for PM2.5, PM10, HCHO and Volatile Organic Compounds. Result revealed that analyzed data were above WHO standards, the increase in the values could be due to burning of animal and pollution from animal waste which has deleterious effect of living organisms and system. It was revealed some these pollutants has relative high and low readings in the day and at dawn respectively which is also applicable to the temperature readings. High temperature is favorable to thermophiles biological activities eveidently shown by the outpour of gases. There could be consideration towards re-siting of the abattoir to a different location. Recommendations were proffered which includes: Reduction of pollutants emitted from the abattoir through sensitization of butchers and meat sellers in the abattoir, Government agencies should swing into action to regulate the lev...

The development of Jakarta as a metropolitan city worsens the PM 2.5 concentration in the area, causes health problems for the citizens, and becomes a major public concern. In this study, we use Pearson correlation and convergent cross mapping (CCM) to analyze any correlation between air quality and individual meteorological parameters, as well as the local PM2.5 nonlinear coupling pattern at two different locations in Jakarta. The influence of meteorological parameters and other pollutants in various seasons can be used to determine the variability of PM2.5. We found that the PM2.5 concentration is affected by PM10, SO2, and NO2 pollutant and is negatively correlated with precipitation, relative humidity, and the wind speed in all variations of the season. Causality analysis using CCM showed that PM2.5 coupling patterns differ for every season. The highest causality values (ρ) for air quality parameters are 0.74 (PM 10), 0.68 (SO2), 0.52 (wind speed), and 0.51 (temperature). In Central Jakarta and South Jakarta, the coupling pattern of PM2.5 concentration and air quality parameters increased during the DJF (December-February) season, while the coupling pattern of PM2.5 concentration and meteorological parameters increased during the DJF and MAM (March-May) seasons. During the JJA (June-August) season, most of the meteorological parameters did not have any impact, whereas the increased humidity during the SON (September-November) season also increased the PM2.5 concentration. In conclusion, the significant outcome of our research is to show that individual air quality and meteorological parameters had an influence on local PM2.5 concentrations in the Jakarta region. In addition, it has been proved that CCM can analyze mirage correlation better than other correlation methods.

The present study attempts to understand the seasonal and spatial variations in the physico-chemical (temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients) and productivity characteristics of the northern Arabian Sea off the Indian coast. Samples were collected from four different sites off the Veraval coast. The values of the physical and chemical variables were higher during the summer season, whereas nutrient concentrations were high during the winter season due to the maturity of intake nutrients during post-monsoon and winter convective mixing during the northeast monsoon. The dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was strongly and positively correlated with the net primary productivity (NPP) and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) content to support productivity along the region. Dissimilarity in study variables was observed between the inshore and offshore locations. Principal component analysis revealed a strong relationship between nutrients and productivity variables (Chl-a and NPP). Nutrient levels were high at inshore sites, which can be attributed to the heavy nutrient load from land-based anthropogenic activities and impact due to natural processes like water mixing, sedimentation, and wave activities. Nutrients were strongly and positively correlated with the productivity variables, i.e., Chl-a and NPP. Chl-a positively correlated with NPP (r = 0.90), which indicates that it is a principle productivity pigment in the marine ecosystem.

Disclaimer This report contains the findings of the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. The findings represent the independent views of the authors and should not be interpreted as the views of their institutions or their funders, nor of the CGIAR or the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development.

Disclaimer This report contains the findings of the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. The findings represent the independent views of the authors and should not be interpreted as the views of their institutions or their funders, nor of the CGIAR or the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development.

The concept of organic agriculture is receiving increased attention and organic food markets are also expanding quite fast in many parts of the world including India. Development of production technology particularly appropriate nutrient management strategy for organic baby corn is necessary for realizing higher yield and economic returns as well as soil health aspect. Most of the organic manures are low in nutrient contents, which are not sufficient to meet the nutritional requirement of the crops with smaller quantities, especially when inorganic fertilizers are not applied. Under such circumstances, enrichment of organic manures and composts with permitted additives like rock phosphate and beneficial microbial cultures is a feasible option for nutrient supplementation in organic food production. Microbial enrichment technique with bio-inoculants to composting material had been shown to improve the quality of compost. The enrichment of the organic manures with beneficial microbial...

The objective of this study was determine the effect of adding fish oil, Leucaena leucocephala and concentrate feed, on a diet of pasture King-grass CT-115 during rumen fermentation in vitro. The treatments were: T1= 100% pasture; T2= 99.5% pasture + 0.5% fish oil; T3= 95% pasture + 5% fish oil; T4= 70% pasture + 30% of L. leucocephala and T5= 60% pasture + 40% concentrate. Variables evaluated were: pH, VFA concentration, total bacteria, cellulolytic bacteria and protozoa also CH4 production and IVDMD. The results were analyzed by ANOVA in a completely randomized model. Lower pH to 6.2 in T1, T4 and T5 was obtained, the VFA concentration was higher (P 0.05) in T2, which increased the ratio of acetate:propionate. There was a smaller population (P 0.05) total bacteria in T3, T4 and T5; protozoan population was higher in T3 and T5. CH4 production was higher in T2, and lower (P 0.05) in T3 and T5; there were no differences in IVDMD between treatments. It was concluded that the addition ...

The article reviews general principles of selecting efficient solutions of in-seam gas drainage and provides analytical foundation for selecting parameters of in-seam gas drainage with due account for estimated output of production face. The schemes of degassing preparation at the production facilities of Kuzbass are presented. Recommendations are provided on the selection of in-seam gas drainage methods at the production areas of Kirova Mine, JSC SUEK-Kuzbass.

Nowadays, anthropogenic seismicity during mining operations is actual in many countries around the world. Strong rockbursts and anthropogenic earthquakes cause not only large material damage but also social and environmental impact. At that, the major geodynamic events and sudden seismic activity remain statistically rare events that makes it difficult to study these phenomena and to find out regularities. Uniqueness of their occurrence conditions and, often, inaccessibility of information contribute to such state of affairs. At that, rockbursts were known since the 19th century and information on conditions of their occurrence is available in published papers and special catalogues. It seems that use in summarizing and analysis of the data on strong rockbursts occurred in the past at the deposits worldwide could contribute to a better understanding of a nature and mechanisms of anthropogenic earthquakes which take place today. In this connection, a problem on the rockbursts data re-using for search of the anthropogenic seismicity regularities has been arisen. In paper, structure and content of the published in the Soviet Union and Russia special catalogs and international bibliography indexes on rockbursts are analyzed. The data available in the catalogs and publications can be used for studying and confirming of some studying regularities related to the reactivation of tectonic faults, presence of tectonically strained zones, occurrence of geodynamic hazard far from the place of mining works. It is concluded that repeated analysis of the data on the rockbursts occurrence at the deposits worldwide on the basis of up-to-date geomechanical concepts will allow extending the statistical basis for search and identification of the anthropogenic seismicity regularities.

Spontaneous combustion of coal dumps and their impact on the environment of mining regions remain important environmental problem, in spite of the measures that are being taken. The paper presents the hypothesis, which states that the location of coal dumps at the boundaries of geodynamically active crust blocks promotes the appearance of conditions for their combustion. At present geodynamically active crust faults that affect the operating conditions of engineering facilities are observed not only in the areas of tectonic activity, but also on platforms. According to the concept of geodynamical zoning, geodynamically dangerous zones for engineering structures can be not only large, well-developed crust faults, but also just formed fractures that appear as boundaries of geodynamically impacting and hierarchically ordered crust blocks. The purpose of the study is to estimate the linkage of burning dumps to boundaries of geodynamically active crust blocks (geodynamically dangerous zones) for subsequent development of recommendations for reducing environmental hazard. The analysis of 27 coal dumps location was made for one of the Eastern Donbass regions (Russia). Nine of sixteen burning dumps are located in geodynamically dangerous zones, which, taking into account relatively small area occupied by all geodynamically dangerous zones, results that there is a concentration (pcs/km 2 ) of burning dumps, which is 14 times higher than the baseline value. While the probability of accidental obtaining of such a result is extremely low, this can be considered as the evidence of the linkage of burning dumps to geodynamically dangerous zones. Taking into account the stressed state of the rock massif in this region, all geodynamically dangerous zones can be divided into compression and tension zones. The statistic is limited, but nevertheless in tension zones the concentration of burning dumps is 2 times higher than in compression zones. Available results of thermal monitoring of burning dumps in this region also show that linearly extended firing sources oriented along geodynamically dangerous zones are observed. The obtained results show that geodynamical conditions of mining region, in which coal dumps are located, is important factor that impacts the creation of conditions for their spontaneous combustion and subsequent impact on the environment. Then this factor should be controlled by choosing the place for dumps location. It is proposed to carry out these works for the entire mining region of the Eastern Donbass, where there are more than 200 coal dumps.

Previously made evaluations show confinement of fire coal waste dumps to geodynamically dangerous zones which in this work are considered as borders of active blocks of the earth crust. According to the hypothesis under development, when disposing the dumps in geodynamically dangerous zones (GDZ), which have a high penetrating, aerodynamic relation of the dumps with the environment occurs, хmaking the dumps firing possible. Firing of the dumps inflicts environmental, social and material damage. This research is aimed to study possible mechanism of gas mass transfer through GDZ into the body of dump on the base of computer modeling of aerodynamic processes. A relevant geometry model is developed, borderline conditions are proven and modeling of aerodynamic process is shown in the work. Taking into account actual data on location and characteristics of firing dumps of a region of Eastern Donbas (Rostov region, Russia) calculation are performed by means of ANSYS software. A dump located in GDZ is modeled. The GDZ is set in the model as a highly penetrating linear zone in the rock, which has a deep emplacement. The GDZ crosses mine fields and has an expression in relief of the Earth surface. Temperature of the rock within the dump may reach 420 degrees Centigrade. Petrophysical characteristics are taken into account in the model (porousness and permeability) of its main structural elements, dimensions of the dump, width of GDZ, difference of relief heights, depth of mine workings location under the dump. The results of the modeling show influence of the dump temperature, petrophysical characteristics of the model structural elements, depth of the mine openings location on aerodynamic processes within the dump mass. Operability of the model at the preset border conditions allows to deeply argue the hypothesis of the air intake into the dump body with consideration of the local geodynamics. According to the results obtained, geodynamic conditions of mining area where coal waste dumps are disposed, may be and are an important factor, which has an effect on creation conditions for spontaneous combustion of dumps and its further impact on environment.

This work is a part of the Moldovan State Program (2020-2023) "Study and management of pollution sources to develop recommendations for implementing measures to mitigate the negative impact on environment and human health", Project number: 20.80009.7007.20.

Tillage methods and intensity can be used as means of improving macronutrient and trace element concentration in soil and crops. A two-year field experiment was conducted to examine the impact of two cropping systems—intensive (ICS) and conservation (CCS), on the macro- and microelements in the soil and their accumulation in the grain of two cultivars of winter wheat. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications of each tillage treatment. The results showed that the content of available N (0.7 kg ha−1) and organic matter (0.04%) slightly increased in CCS compared to ICS. The concentrations of Ca, K, and S macroelements and microelements such as Ba, Cr, Hg, and Sr in the soil were significantly higher in CCS than in ICS. Higher concentrations of macroelements K and P, microelements such as Fe, Zn, and As, and the greater value of the bioaccumulation factor for elements essential to humans such as P, Cu, Fe, and Zn, were also found in CCS ...

Organic agriculture offers many benefits through the increased nutritional quality of produced crops, agro-ecosystem preservation, and climate change mitigation. The development of an efficient nutrient management strategy in low-input systems, such as organic agriculture, which supports soil fertility and essential nutrients absorption by crops, is continually exploring. Thus, a study with maize–spelt–soybean rotation during a 5-year period in organic production was established to evaluate the variability in soil organic matter (SOM) and the status of available elements: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Si from the soil, as well as grain yield (GY) and the content of protein, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Si concentration in the grain of spelt, maize, and soybean. Significant variations in mineral elements in the soil, GY, and grain composition were detected. Spelt achieved the highest average GY, while soybean grain was the richest in a majority of examined nutrients. The ...

Drift is the movement of plant protection product droplets through the air and can affect any non-target organism or the environment. In fact, there are three possible scenarios that can be considered as an off-target movement: particle drift, volatility, and contamination of the spray tank. Significant damages that can occur as a consequence of drift are damages to neighbouring crops, environmental pollution, lower level of efficiency of the applied herbicide. Meanwhile, in the case of tank contamination, injuries can occur only in the treated field. In order to examine the negative consequences of nicosulfuron drift, four crops were grown in a greenhouse and treated with low doses of herbicide, after which they were returned to cultivation. After 21 days, the effects of applied treatments were assessed through visual assessment of injury, dry weight, leaf height, and leaf area. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that low doses of nicosulfuron expressed different ef...

The subject of this paper is the analysis of the possibilities of using biodegradable municipal and agricultural waste in a biogas energy production facility on the island of Krk. The main characteristic of this type of waste is the variable composition. The total amount of municipal waste on the largest Croatian island of Krk is relatively small in comparison to cities. Particularly significant is the high variability of feedstock volumes depending on the period in the year. As a result, the biogas production is unstable and varies on a monthly basis. To overcome that situation a scenario with two cogeneration units was compared to a scenario when only one unit is used. The approach of two units, that operate based on the available biogas inflow, has shown to be more efficient than using a single unit. Net GHG emissions are negative.

With the changing climatic scenario, reduction in CO2 in atmosphere will be viable solution to reduce air temperature as well as production of temperature sensitive crops. Carbon sequestration is a new area for researchers. It is process by which carbon dioxide is taken out from the Earth's atmosphere and afterward stored into the soils. Most soils of agroecosystems having lower C pool than under natural vegetation cover. Some severely depleted and strongly eroded soils may have lost as much as 75% of the antecedent pool (Lal 2004). Thus, soils of agroecosystems have a C sink capacity which can be filled by sequestration of atmospheric CO2 as SOM and as secondary carbonates. With the increasing carbon content in soil, will leads to enhance chemical, physical and biological properties of soils. In India, lots of organic waste is available in urban as well in rural area. This can help to reduce the cost of cultivation by reducing the dependency on chemical fertilizer such as potassic and phosphate fertilizer those are mostly imported from foreign countries. Many authors have been reported that applications of organic fertilizer with organic sources were significantly improved different soil carbon pools as well as soil quality and soil health (

In India, a major part of the rural economy is dependent on the grazing-based livestock husbandry which is unique integration of agriculture and livestock coupled with rich traditional knowledge. Ecosystems of common property resources had been a mainstay in rural economy and livelihood. The traditional grazing forage resources in arid and semi-arid regions have deteriorated a lot due to various factors including heavy grazing pressure, climate change and dominance of invasive species, thus, needs rejuvenation. Additionally, these are causing serious economic and ecological problems such as poor productivity, soil and water erosion and reduced carbon sequestration. The genetic improvement of these grasses encounters various problems such as polyploidy, apomixis, seed shedding and shattering and poor seed to ovule ratio. Transfer of desirable traits from donor germplasm becomes difficult due to the existence of apomixis. The breeding objectives are also multifold including herbage yield, forage nutritional quality, abiotic stress tolerance etc. Identification of sexual lines is prerequisite for transfer of traits. Mutation attempts are also not effective due to polyploidy. ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi has collected rich genetic diversity in these range grasses especially Dichanthium-Bothriochloa complex, Heteropogon, Chrysopogon, Sehima, Panicum, Cenchrus, Pennisetum etc. from different parts of the country as well as procurement from gene banks of the world. These germplasm were evaluated for morphological traits which indicated the existence of wide variation for various morpho-agronomic traits. The paper deals with reporting the extent of variability among the potential range grasses; with prospects of utilizing the diversity in rejuvenating the degraded rangelands of India and other places with isoclimatic conditions.

CO mixing ratios in air have been measured continuously at Cape Point (34'21's; 18O29'E) between 1978 and 1981. The results show a seasonal variation of the CO mixing ratios with minimum values of 53 p.p.b.v. during January/February and maximum values of 87 p.p.b.v. during September/October. Short-term variations of CO mixing ratios in clean, undisturbed air were lacking, indicating that CO is well mixed in the Southern Hemisphere at latitudes of 20-40" S and that the observed seasonal variation is not due to temporal changes of local and regional source strengths. The seasonality of CO is explained by the seasonal variation of OH and by the north-south shift of the intertropical convergence zone. The agreement of CO mixing ratios measured at Cape Point and over the Southern Atlantic in 1971/1972 indicates that the southern hemispheric CO mixing ratios cannot have changed by more than 5-1096 during the last decade. Tellus 36B (1984), 4

The objective of this project is to characterize significant chemical degradation pathways of organic chemicals in stored high-level waste and waste treatment streams. The underlying chemistries of high-level waste are 1) the chemistry initiated by radioactive decay and the reactions initiated by heat from radioactive decay and 2) the chemistry resulting from waste management, and treatment activities (e.g., waste transfers, concentration through evaporators, caustic and other chemical additions, and separations operations). Recognizing that experiments cannot reproduce every conceivable scenario, the project works to develop predictive computational models of these chemistries. The effort is closely coordinated with a Notre Dame Radiation Laboratory project (EMSP No. 73832, "The NOx System in Nuclear Waste," D. Meisel, Principal Investigator) that focuses on radiolytically-induced degradation of organic complexants in waste simulants. Investigators combine experimental observations, electronic structure computations, and theoretical methods development to achieve this goal. The resulting models will facilitate accurate evaluation of the hazardous material generated, including flammable gases, and will support decision-making processes regarding safety, retrieval, treatment, and tank closure issues.

Introduction: South India is a major rice producing area where most of the rice is grown under irrigated conditions. About 7% of the rice in India is grown in autumn, this season is named as Kuruvai/kar/Sornavari in Tamil Nadu. Short duration rice varieties ranging from 90 to 120 days are sown in this season. Total net irrigated area by tanks (0.53 million ha in 2011-12) accounts for 18% of total net irrigated area under rice and out of this, non-system tanks which are not connected with river or creek systems and depend on catchment of rainfall have about 0.4 million ha of tank-irrigated rice ecosystem. Virudhunagar district near Madurai, Tamil Nadu is a major rice growing area with many non-system tanks. We conducted the eco-physiological survey at two typical non-system tanks with different size in order to assess spatial variability of water distribution and rice production within a tank irrigated ecosystem. Material and Methods: Eco-physiological survey was conducted at two villages, Sirukulum (9°39′N, 78°12′E, smaller tank) and Srirampur (9°39′N, 78°10′E, larger tank) in Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu India. Village farmers' interviews were conducted in order to collect information regarding rice cultivation methods, use of cultivars, fertilizer details, cultural practices, number of irrigations and grain yield for 3 years from 2012-2014. The GPS maps of tank-irrigated rice ecosystems were made in order to know the boundary, total area and location of irrigation channels for distribution of water. The sampling survey of 25 and 27 rice fields, respectively in Sirukulum and Srirampur was conducted in 2014. The fields were grouped into three locations by distance from the tank (i.e., upstream nearby tank, downstream far from tank, in-between middle location) for assessing water distribution, managemental variation, and rice productivity. Results and Discussion: Maximum tank sizes from GPS map were 16 and 28 ha in Sirukulum and Srirampur, respectively, with approximately 300 to 400 fields and 70 to 80 fields within each rice ecosystem. Both tanks are considered as panchayat union (PU) tanks managed by community which occupies 78% of tanks in Tamil Nadu whereas there are larger tanks (> 40 ha) managed by government's Public Works Department (PWD). Interviewed average field-based yield in Srirampur was 3.1 t ha -1 (N=98) in the drought year 2012 and 3.9 t ha -1 (N=109) in favorable rain year 2013, and fields receiving 12 to 16 times of irrigation (10 to 14 times from tank supplemented by 1 to 4 times from bore-well in 2012 and almost all from tank in 2013) yielded highest ranges (3.4 to 3.9 t ha -1 in 2012 and 3.8 to 6.4 t ha -1 in 2013). In Sirukulum, many fields could not be harvested in 2012 while most of the fields planted were harvested in 2013, with the average yield 4.3 t ha -1 (N=68), with 5.3 and 1.5 times of irrigation from tank and bore-well, respectively. Sampled grain yield in 2014 was higher in Srirampur (4.4 tha -1 , N=27) than in Sirukulum (2.9 t ha -1 , N=25), and higher at the head location nearby the tanks (4.3 tha -1 ) than at the downstream tail location (3.3 tha -1 ). In Srirampur in 2014, the sampled grain yield was higher in the 2 shorter duration varieties (JGL, ANNA4) (4.6 t ha -1 ) than a longer duration variety (BPT5204) (3.8 t ha -1 ).

The Kara Sea receives ~ 1/3 of total freshwater discharge to the Arctic Ocean, mainly from the large Ob and Yenisei rivers. The Ob-Yenisei plume covers wide area in the central part of the Kara Sea during ice-free season (June-October) and accumulates ~ 1000 km 3 of freshwater volume. In late autumn, the Kara Sea becomes covered by ice, which hinders in situ measurements at this area. As a result, the fate of the Ob-Yenisei plume below sea ice during winter and spring remains unclear. In this study, we report multiple in situ measurements performed in the Kara Sea shortly before and during ice-covered season. We demonstrate that late autumn convection in the plume shortly before ice formation significantly reduces friction between the plume and the subjacent sea. The subsequent formation of solid sea ice coverage isolates the plume from wind forcing. These two factors precondition the Ob-Yenisei plume to form an intense buoyancy-driven coastal current below sea ice. As a result, the plume advects eastward to the Laptev Sea through the Vilkitsky Strait during several months in November-February. Eventually, by late winter this huge freshwater volume disappears from the Kara Sea and contributes to freshwater content of the Laptev Sea. The obtained result improves our understanding of freshwater balance of the Kara and Laptev seas, as well as provides an important insight into the large-scale freshwater transport in the Eurasian Arctic, which remain largely unknown during ice-covered season. River runoff to the Arctic Ocean (4200 km 3 y -1 ) accounts to 11% of total freshwater discharge to the World Ocean, which provides anomalously large freshwater input per unit area (0.28 m y -1 ) compared to the other oceans (0.08-0.18 m y -1 ) 1-3 . Spreading and transformation of freshwater runoff governs many physical (stratification, vertical mixing, ocean heat flux), chemical (nutrient cycle, acidification), and biological (primary production, food webs) processes in the Arctic Ocean 4-6 . In particular, it maintains salinity-driven density stratification and affects sea ice formation, which is of key importance for the Earth's albedo and global climate . The surface circulation in the deep Arctic is dominated by the anticyclonic Beaufort Gyre in the Canadian Basin and the Transpolar Drift, which flows from the northern parts of the East-Siberian and Laptev seas towards the Fram Strait 10 (Fig. ). The surface circulation at the wide Eurasian shelf is determined by spreading of large river plumes, which have significantly different dynamics, as compared to ambient saline sea . Large density gradient at the vertical plume-sea interface reduces vertical momentum transport between buoyant plumes and subjacent seawater 13 . As a result, plume dynamics are governed by wind forcing, buoyancy gradients and Coriolis force, while experiencing low influence of ambient sea circulation . The Ob-Yenisei plume (with area up to 250,000 km 2 ) located in the Kara Sea and the Lena plume (with area up to 500,000 km 2 ) located in the Laptev and East-Siberian seas are the largest plumes in the Arctic Ocean and among the largest in the World Ocean (Fig. ). These two plumes cover the majority of the Eurasian Arctic shelf during ice-free season in summer and autumn and determine local circulation, which was thoroughly