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It is known that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are a major contributor to global climate change and that reducing our emissions will stem its acceleration (Baker et al., 2007). Aside from emission reductions, another method for stemming global climate change is to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere by storing them elsewhere. As the largest carbon pool within terrestrial ecosystems, the soil is thought to have considerable potential to sequester carbon. Changes in land-use and management have been proposed to sequester atmospheric CO, particularly converting conventional plowing to conservation tillage, especially no-tillage (Lal, 2004). Businesses are currently allowed to purchase carbon credits for emission reductions through agricultural activities, such as soil carbon sequestration from switching to no-tillage. However, emerging research calls into question the validity of these carbon credits. This paper focuses on the potential role of no-till management in relation to global climate change by specifically examining the use of no-till as a way to sequester atmospheric CO2 in the world's soils and to combat the predicted effects of global climate change on the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to apply the Driving forces–Pressures–State–Impact–Responses (DPSIR) framework to identify the issues of pollinator loss. The linkages between the significant pressures on insect pollinators, their underlying socio-economic driving forces and responses, with the focus on Europe, are addressed in the study. A review of literature revealed the shortage of empirical studies that prove direct links between policy responses and specific pressures on the pollinators. Based on written evidence and expert judgement, land use practices and the use of agrochemicals were regarded as the most significant pressures on different functional groups of pollinators. As demonstrated in the study, agricultural and rural development policy has been the key driving force of these pressures. The application of the DPSIR framework proved to be useful in identifying the pathway of human pressures on pollinators. The study also concludes that there is further need for specific empirical research on the effects and effectiveness of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures (agri-environment measures in particular) to support farming practices that facilitate the protection of the environment and the prevention of pollinator loss. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A Lagrangian particle model has been adapted to examine human exposures to particulate matter ≤ 10 μm(PM10) in agricultural settings. This paper reports the performance of the model in comparison to extensive measurements by elastic LIDAR (light detection and ranging). For the first time, the LIDAR measurements allowed spatially distributed and time dynamic measurements to be used to test the predictions of a field-scale model. The model outputs, which are three-dimensional concentration distribution maps from an agricultural disking operation, were compared with the LIDAR-scanned images. The peak cross-correlation coefficient and the offset distance of the measured and simulated plumes were used to quantify both the intensity and location accuracy. The appropriate time averaging and changes in accuracy with height of the plume were examined. Inputs of friction velocity, Monin-Obukhov length, and wind direction (1 sec) were measured with a three-axis sonic anemometer at a single point in the field (at 1.5-m height). The Lagrangian model of Wang et al. predicted the near-field concentrations of dust plumes emitted from a field disking operation with an overall accuracy of approximately 0.67 at 3-m height. Its average offset distance when compared with LIDAR measurements was approximately 38 m, which was 6% of the average plume moving distance during the simulation periods. The model is driven by weather measurements, and its near-field accuracy is highest when input time averages approach the turbulent flow time scale (3-70 sec). The model accuracy decreases with height because of smoothing and errors in the input wind field, which is modeled rather than measured at heights greater than the measurement anemometer. The wind steadiness parameter (S) can be used to quantify the combined effects of wind speed and direction on model accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm plantations on peat soils are generally believed to have greater environmental impacts than those on other soil types. Nonetheless, Malaysia operates substantial incentives to maximise palm oil production, which in practice encourage the establishment of plantations on peatland. This paper explores the social and economic basis of oil palm cultivation on one peatland estate at Sungai Panjang in the state of Selangor, peninsular Malaysia. Data were obtained by conducting a questionnaire survey of 200 farmers who cultivate oil palm on peat soil. Some of the data were cross-tabulated against farmers' ages in order to identify any age-related trends in education level, the area of land farmed, annual income and knowledge about oil palm cultivation. The Cobb-Douglas production function was used to model the financial output from oil palm in terms of the costs of chemical inputs and labour. The results indicated that cultivation of this crop gives decreasing returns to scale on peatland in Sungai Panjang, and that chemical inputs are more important than labour cost in determining the level of financial output. Finally, the financial viability of oil palm cultivation for farmers was assessed by calculating three financial indicators (NPV, BCR and IRR). This can be a profitable investment so long as growth conditions, costs, selling price and interest rate do not fluctuate substantially. Greater annual returns can be achieved over 20-25 years than over shorter periods, especially of less than 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the European Water Framework Directive requires reliable tools to predict the water quality situations in streams caused by planned land use changes at the scale of large regional river basins. This paper presents the results of modelling the in-stream nitrogen load and concentration within the macro-scale basin of the Saale river (24,167km2) using a semi-distributed process-based ecohydrological dynamic model SWIM (Soil and Water Integrated Model). The simulated load and concentration at the last gauge of the basin show that SWIM is capable to provide a satisfactory result for a large basin. The uncertainty analysis indicates the importance of realistic input data for agricultural management, and that the calibration of parameters can compensate the uncertainty in the input data to a certain extent. A hypothesis about the distributed nutrient retention parameters for macro-scale basins was tested aimed in improvement of the simulation results at the intermediate gauges and the outlet. To verify the hypothesis, the retention parameters were firstly proved to have a reasonable representation of the denitrification conditions in six meso-scale catchments. The area of the Saale region was classified depending on denitrification conditions in soil and groundwater into three classes (poor, neutral and good), and the distributed parameters were applied. However, the hypothesis about the usefulness of distributed retention parameters for macro-scale basins was not confirmed. Since the agricultural management is different in the sub-regions of the Saale basin, land use change scenarios were evaluated for two meso-scale subbasins of the Saale. The scenario results show that the optimal agricultural land use and management are essential for the reduction in nutrient load and improvement of water quality to meet the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive and in view of the regional development plans for future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With growing levels of urbanization and agriculture throughout the world, it is increasingly important that both research and management efforts take into account the effects of this widespread landscape alteration and its consequences for natural systems. Freshwater ecosystems, namely reservoirs, are particularly sensitive to land use changes. In this context, modelling can be very useful, for decision support, as an investigative tool to forecast the outcome of various scenarios, to guide current management in order to meet future targets and to develop integrated frameworks for management accordingly to the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The present paper examined the applicability of a holistic Stochastic-Dynamic Methodology (StDM), coupled with a Cellular Automata (CA) model, in capturing how expected changes at land use level will alter the ecological status of lentic ecosystems, namely at physicochemical and biological levels. The methodology was applied to Portuguese reservoirs located in the Douro's basin and illustrated with a series of stochastic-dynamic and spatial outputs taking into account expected scenarios regarding land use changes. Overall, the simulation results are encouraging since they seem to demonstrate the tool reliability in capturing the stochastic environmental dynamics of the selected metrics facing spatial explicit scenarios. The ultimate goal was to couple monitoring assessment and the described modelling techniques to ease management and decision making regarding the practical implementation of the WFD, both at the scale of the reservoir body and at the scale of the respective river watershed dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract  Knowledge of site-specific crop parameters such as plant height, coverage and biomass density is important for optimising crop management and harvesting processes. Sensors for measuring crop parameters are essential pre-requisites to gather this information. In recent years, laser rangefinder sensors have been adopted in many industrial applications. In agricultural engineering, the potential of laser rangefinders for measuring crop parameters has been little exploited. This paper reports the design and the performance of a measuring system based on a triangulation and a time-of-flight laser rangefinder for estimating crop biomass density in representative crops under field conditions. It was shown that the mean height of reflection point is a suitable parameter for non-contact indirect measurement of crop biomass by laser rangefinder sensors. The main parameters for potential assessment were the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) and the standard error (RMSE) for the relation between crop biomass density and the mean height of the reflection point in crop stands from oilseed rape, winter rye, winter wheat and grassland during the vegetation period in 2006. For the triangulation sensor, R 2 was in the range from 0.87 to 0.98 and for the time-of-flight sensor in the range from 0.75 to 0.99 for both fresh matter and dry matter density. The triangulation sensor had a reduced suitability caused by masking effects of the reflected beam and because of limited measuring range. Based on the results of experiments and technical data, it was concluded that the time-of-flight principle has good potential for site-specific crop management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires member states to take measures to ensure that bodies of water will be in good chemical and ecological condition by 2015. Important measures to achieve this goal include reducing emissions of nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P2O5) from manure and mineral fertilizers into the environment. In regions with a high livestock density, this measure is expected to affect agricultural production and income. To quantify these effects, an environmental economic model is required that can assess alternatives capable of reducing N and P2O5 potential emissions to water. In this paper, we develop a model that is capable of analysing changes in potential emissions to water of N and P2O5 and apply it to the Netherlands, a country with large nutrient emissions. Compared to a 2015 reference scenario based on current efforts to reduce nutrient emissions, we found that the WFD measures will increase regional transport and export of manure and reduce the number of animals in the Netherlands. Fodder adjustments (defined as lower N and P2O5 input in purchased fodder) to decrease nutrient excretion in manure were a less attractive option than amongst others export, transportation of manure to another region, land use changes or reduction of the number of livestock. Compared to the reference scenario in 2015, total agricultural income will decrease by about €81.5 million per year (about €49/ha per year), although the effects will differ among parts of the Netherlands and agricultural sectors. The average predicted decrease in N emissions from agricultural sites, vulnerable to leaching into bodies of water will be almost 20% or approximately 14.7kgN/ha per year. The reduction in N emissions to air from animal sheds, manure storage systems, application of animal manure and mineral fertilisers to the crops and grazing animals equals 6.5% or 5kg ammonia (NH3) per hectare. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Farming has been the basis to work, culture and social forces for millennia. It still dominates the lives of most of the world''s poorer people, but in post-industrial western countries agriculture''s contribution to national economies is now minor. Nevertheless, most OECD countries’ agricultural policies are aimed at maintaining the size of this sector even where this conflicts with its economic significance or adversely affects the environment. Australia has a first world economy, but a third world export profile, with 20% of its export value derived from agriculture. Although it is efficient in agricultural man-power, this sector consumes 70% of the water and 60% of the land resources of the continent to produce food for an estimated 55 million people. Agricultural policies maintain the productivity of the sector, but are ineffective in stemming the associated environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and rural population decline. As in other post-industrial societies, Australia needs to re-define what its agriculture sector represents, environmentally and socially. This will require greater reappraisal of property rights, public and private benefits and legal structures supporting both. More effective alternative policies are needed for large tracts of unproductive farmland where environmental and social decline are endemic. This paper explores alternative options that offer more balanced prospects in the face of current paradoxes, including paying farmers directly for stewardship services, providing better incentives for retiring non-productive areas from agricultural land use, and retiring watersheds, streamlines and other areas of essential environmental function from agricultural production for better biodiversity conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To reverse the negative environmental impacts of agriculture, a land evaluation decision support system (DSS) known as MicroLEIS-DSS was used to design the most sustainable land use and management practices for selected Mediterranean benchmark sites in Sevilla Province, Southern Spain. This DSS is based on the multifunctional evaluation of soil quality, using input data collected in standard soil surveys, and with particular reference to the peculiarities of the Mediterranean region. Specific agro-ecological strategies to prevent soil degradation in the benchmark sites were designed within two major topics: (i) strategies related to land use planning at a regional level: segregation of agricultural lands, restoration of marginal areas, diversification of crop rotation, and identification of vulnerability areas; and (ii) those related to land management planning at a farm level: organic matter restoration, formulation of tillage practices and workability timing, optimum machinery use, and input rationalization. The predicted results of applying the 12 agro-ecological land evaluation model constituents of MicroLEIS DSS are presented and discussed for each application site. The main conclusion of this paper is that using soil type information in decision-making is at the heart for sustainable use and management of agricultural land. This agro-ecological approach can be especially useful when formulating soil-specific agricultural practices to reverse environmental degradation, based on the spatial variability of soils and related resources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we describe a new ecological model for Regions of Restricted Exchange (RRE), such as fjords, estuaries, rias and lagoons. The model is intended to simulate the impact of external nutrient input on microplankton (phytoplankton plus pelagic microheterotrophs) in RREs. We have implemented the model with the practical purpose of finding a safe limit to the capacities of RRE to assimilate fish-farm waste. Sea-cage farming of fish is increasing in fjords in northern and southern hemispheres, and its external nutrient input can lead to environmental problems such as eutrophication and deoxygenation. The model includes a physical system of three layers with exchanges driven by tidal movement, freshwater input, wind stirring. The biological part includes two microplankton compartments, each parameterizing a microbial loop and each containing chlorophyll. The first compartment represents diatoms and associated heterotrophs, and the second compartment represents flagellates and associated heterotrophs. As well as the balance of these organisms, the model simulates concentrations of nutrient N, P, and Si, dissolved oxygen, and water transparency. Chlorophyll and nutrient change are linked by yields (q). Losses of microplankton to grazing by mesozooplankton or benthos are simulated by a temperature-dependent grazing pressure acting on a mean loss . The model also includes the ability to simulate point source inputs of nutrients or organic matter and a generic tracer with first order decay. Sea-cage fish-farms exemplify such point sources. In order to explore model behaviour, we included inputs from a 1500tonnes salmon farm multiplied by a factor . We carried out sensitivity analysis to identify the most influential model parameters and forcing variables in the case of the shallow Scottish fjord, Loch Creran, in 1975 before the introduction of salmon farming. We tested the model fit to this pristine state , using Major Axis Regression of simulated variables on observed variables. The model successfully follows the seasonal cycles of chlorophyll (summer over both microplanktons) and the limiting nutrients (P, N). The sensitivity analysis identified three sets of key parameters: and other fish-farm coefficients, which control farm waste effects on an RRE; parameters for each microplankton, which link these to the rest of the ecosystem and which have implications for future inclusion of shellfish farming in the model and, chlorophyll yields from nutrients (q), which are crucial for the predication of eutrophication and the ecological understanding of the model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ensuring that farmers comply with the terms of agri-environmental schemes is an important issue. This paper explores the use of a ‘compliance–reward’ approach under heterogeneous net compliance costs with respect to cost-share working lands programmes such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in the United States. Specifically, we examine the use of a reward under asymmetric information and output price uncertainty. We examine two possible sources of financing under the assumption of budget neutrality: (i) funds obtained by reducing monitoring effort; and (ii) money saved by reducing the number of farmers enrolled. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each source of funding and analyse these numerically for both risk-neutral and risk-averse farmers. We also examine the trade-off between increased expenditure on monitoring effort and compliance rewards when additional budgetary resources are available. We show that under certain conditions a compliance reward can increase compliance rates. For risk-averse farmers, however, conditions that ensure a positive outcome become more restrictive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies that have attempted to model the participation decision of farmers in agri-environmental schemes have used a static framework where it was not possible to examine changes in the participation decision of farmers over time. This is rectified in this paper by utilising an 11-year panel that contains information on 300 farmers for each year. The structure of this dataset allows us to employ discrete time duration random effects panel data logit models to model the determinants of entering the Irish Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS). We introduce a dynamic element into a number of the models by using the random effects logit model estimator, with lagged dependent variables as additional explanatory variables. The results point to the fact that systems of farming that are more extensive and less environmentally degrading remain those most likely to participate in the REPS. In addition, the results highlight the fact that where no attempt is made to control for unobserved heterogeneity or path dependency the effects of the farm- and farmer-specific characteristics may be overestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines African livestock management across Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) to learn how they would adapt to climate change in the coming century. We analyze farm level decisions to own livestock and to choose a primary livestock species using logit models with and without country fixed effects or AEZ fixed effects. With a hot dry scenario, the results indicate that livestock ownership will increase slightly across all of Africa, but especially in West Africa and high elevation AEZs. Dairy cattle will decrease in semi-arid regions, sheep will increase in lowlands, and rearing chickens will increase at high elevations. On the other hand, if climate becomes wetter, livestock ownership will fall dramatically in lowlands and high elevation moist AEZs. Beef cattle will increase and sheep will fall in dry AEZs, dairy cattle will fall precipitously and goats will rise in moist AEZs, and chickens will increase at high elevations but fall at mid elevations. Therefore, adaptation measures should be tailored to a specific AEZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture continues to be a major contributor to water pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity although policies to encourage farmers to work to higher sustainability standards in food and energy crop production have increased throughout the European Union. In New Member States, accession to the European Union mostly brought a substantially increased public support to foster the diffusion of certified organic farming. However, the take-up of organic farming is varied for reasons that are not yet well understood. In this paper, we analyse the diffusion of organic farming through farm populations. This involves an understanding of farmer behaviour and how it can change over time. We present a generic agent based model that builds on the Theory of Planned Behaviour as framework for understanding and modelling farmers' decision-making processes. The model is applied to high-diffusion regions in two New EU Member States, Latvia and Estonia. The values for the model's parameters are informed by survey data. The model reproduces the interdependence of social influence and economic factors. Social influence alone is shown to make little difference to the model dynamics; organic farmers remain organic, and conventional farmers remain conventional. Introducing a change to the environment (e.g. a subsidy) results in an increase in the proportion of adopters. Thus, economic factors appear to be more influential than social factors. However, only when allowing for both, the subsidy and social influence, do we reveal the whole picture and the combined adoption rate is higher than the sum of the proportion of adopters resulting from just social influence (without a subsidy) and from just a subsidy (without social influence). We also compare the effect of the subsidy with the effect of influence from organic farm advisors to develop policy recommendations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper introduces a new method for simulating large-scale subsurface contaminant transport that combines an Analytic Element Method (AEM) groundwater flow solution with a split-operator Streamline Method for modeling reactive transport. The key feature of the method is the manner in which the vertically integrated AEM flow solution is used to construct three-dimensional particle tracks that define the geometry of the Streamline Method. The inherently parallel nature of the algorithm supports the development of reactive transport models for spatial domains much larger than current grid-based methods. The applicability of the new approach is verified for cases with negligible transverse dispersion through comparisons to analytic solutions and existing numerical solutions, and parallel performance is demonstrated through a realistic test problem based on the regional-scale transport of agricultural contaminants from spatially distributed sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The goal oriented framework (GOF) for indicators has been developed as part of a comprehensive research project developing computerised tools for integrated assessment of the effects of new policies or technologies on agricultural systems (SEAMLESS-IF). The ambition has therefore been to create an indicator framework where the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainable development can be related to each other in a consistent way. Integrated assessment tools rely on such frameworks to capture and visualise trade-offs (antagonisms or synergies) among indicators between and within the three dimensions of sustainable development. The specific aims of this paper are to (i) present the GOF (ii) present how the GOF can be used to select indicators within the integrated assessment framework SEAMLESS-IF and (iii) discuss the advantages and limitations with the proposed approach. We show that the GOF has several advantages. Its major rewards are its relative simplicity and the possibility to link indicators to policy goals of each dimension of sustainability and thereby facilitate the comparison of the impacts of the new policy on the different dimensions. Another important feature of the GOF is its multi-scale perspective, which will enable the comparison of effects of a new policy between scales. Yet, as typical for all indicator frameworks, the GOF has also biases either instigated by the issues the included models cover or by the stakeholders’ selection of indicators. However, due to the way the GOF and its indicators are technically implemented in SEAMLESS-IF, it can easily be extended and include new indicators to increase and update its policy relevance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Agriculture is interrelated with the socio-economic and natural environment and faces increasingly the problem of managing its multiple functions in a sustainable way. Growing emphasis is on adequate policies that can support both agriculture and sustainable development. Integrated Assessment and Modelling (IAM) can provide insight into the potential impacts of policy changes. An increasing number of Integrated Assessment (IA) models are being developed, but these are mainly monolithic and are targeted to answer specific problems. Approaches that allow flexible IA for a range of issues and functions are scarce. Recently, a methodology for policy support in agriculture has been developed that attempts to overcome some of the limitations of earlier IA models. The proposed framework (SEAMLESS-IF) integrates relationships and processes across disciplines and scales and combines quantitative analysis with qualitative judgments and experiences. It builds on the concept of systems analysis and attempts to enable flexible coupling of models and tools. The present paper aims to describe progress in improving flexibility of IAM achieved with the methodology developed for SEAMLESS-IF. A brief literature review identifying limitations in the flexibility of IAM is followed by a description of the progress achieved with SEAMLESS-IF. Two example applications are used to illustrate relevant capabilities of SEAMLESS-IF. The examples refer to (i) the impacts on European agriculture of changes in world trade regulations and (ii) regional impacts of the EU Nitrates Directive in combination with agro-management changes. We show that improving the flexibility of IAM requires flexibility in model linking but also a generic set up of all IA steps. This includes problem and scenario definition, the selection and specification of indicators and the indicator framework, the structuring of the database, and the visualization of results. Very important is the flexibility to integrate, select and link models, data and indicators depending on the application. Technical coupling and reusability of model components is greatly improved through adequate software architecture (SEAMLESS-IF uses OpenMI). The use of ontology strongly supports conceptual consistency of model linkages. However, the scientific basis for linking models across disciplines and scales is still weak and requires specific attention in future research. We conclude that the proposed framework significantly advances flexibility in IAM and that it is a good basis to further improve integrated modelling for policy impact assessment in agriculture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper is intended to demonstrate the ecological footprint (EF) calculation for the Malaysian three-sector economy based on the modified input–output (I–O) method and National Footprint Account (NFA), and provide information of the national EF, including its breakdown of the land categories. Based on the modified I–O, each Malaysian requires 0.304ha of estimated land to support their current consumptions and life styles from the agriculture, forestry and built-up sectors. This figure is substantially lower than the one calculated by the NFA (1.13gha/cap). Moreover, the EF of agriculture and forestry in the NFA method is higher than the modified I–O calculations whereas the EF for built sector shows the opposite. The EFs generated by the two methods are very different; the reason is the different weightings of economic activities and lack of detailed land use data. This kind of deficiency can be overcome if the required land use data are available. Not withstanding this, a standard and equitable approach to calculate the EF should first be agreed upon. On the other hand, Malaysia''s EF appears to be smaller than that of the developed countries (US, Canada or UK), but larger than that of other ASEAN countries. The largest contributor to the EF for each Malaysian is energy consumption. Instead, a major difference between EF of Malaysia and other ASEAN countries appears to the use of energy land. Thus, any effort to reduce energy consumption will serve to reduce the EF of the country. In this context, perhaps it is time to seriously review the issue of energy subsidies in Malaysia, particularly in light of the country''s aspiration for sustainability in development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sustained droughts coupled with increasing pressure from urbanization severely test the ability of farmers to continue in agriculture. Understanding farmers' resilience to such pressures is increasingly becoming a significant policy concern. In this paper, a new measure of resilience to severe and sustained droughts in agriculture is derived as the ability to continue farming by saving and carrying forward water through the adoption of water efficient technology. In addition, the role of behavioral factors—such as subjective risk perception over the probability of droughts, of the probability of land getting urbanized, and of resistance to revising beliefs over water scarcity situation—in determining farmers' resilience to droughts is explored. Findings highlight the key role played by behavioral factors in influencing the decision to adopt when the economic factors, such as the price of water, do not capture the true opportunity costs of water. The range of available technological options is found to be crucial too, as marginal improvements in technology do not encourage adoption. An empirical application to the case of lettuce farming in Western Australia reveals that in the presence of speculative benefits from land rezoning, technological adoption is done only for enhancing profits in agriculture and not for improving resilience to droughts. Land rezoning possibilities may further distort technology adoption decisions, thereby, reducing resilience to droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Models are increasingly used to examine the potential impacts of management and climate change in agriculture. Our aim in this paper was to assess the applicability of the field-DeNitrification DeComposition (DNDC) model in Irish agriculture. This study provides the results of that evaluation, which is a prerequisite for using the model for assessing management impacts in the future. The DNDC model was tested against seasonal and annual data sets of nitrous oxide flux from a spring barley field and a cut and grazed pasture at the Teagasc Oak Park Research Centre, Co. Carlow, Ireland. In the case of the arable field, predicted fluxes of N2O agreed well with measured fluxes for medium to high fertilizer input (70–160 kg N ha−1) but poorly described those fluxes from zero fertilizer treatments. In terms of cumulative flux values, the relative deviation of the predicted fluxes from the measured values was a maximum of 6% for the highest N fertilizer inputs but increased to 30% for the medium N and more than 100% for the zero N fertilizer treatments. There is a linear correlation of predicted against measured flux values for all fertilizer treatments (r 2 =0.85) but the model underestimated the seasonal flux by 24%. Incorporation of literature values from a range of different studies on arable and pasture land did not significantly improve the regression. The description by DNDC for measured fluxes of N2O from reduced tillage plots was poor with underestimation of up to 55%. For the cut and grazed pasture the relative deviations of predicted to measured fluxes were 150 and 360% for fertilized and unfertilized plots. A sensitivity analysis suggests that the poor model fit is due to DNDC overestimating WFPS and the effect of initial soil organic carbon (SOC) on N2O flux. As the arable and grassland soils differed only in SOC content, reducing SOC of the grassland field to that of the arable field value significantly improved the fit of the model to measured data such that the relative deviations decreased to 9 and 5% respectively. Sensitivity analysis highlighted air temperature as the main determinant of N2O flux, an increase in mean daily air temperature of 1.5 °C resulting in almost a 65% increase in the annual cumulative flux. This is interesting as with future global warming, N2O flux from the soil will have a strong positive feedback. It can be concluded that DNDC is unsuitable for predicting N2O from Irish grassland due to its overestimation of WFPS and effect of SOC on the flux. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Since 1992 the provision of agri-environmental schemes (AESs) has been obligatory for member states of the European Union. However, decisions concerning the actual design of schemes and measures are left to member states who have to integrate this policy within their administrative structures and to comply with the general rules laid down in the EU rural development regulations. Over time, the respective council regulations have increasingly encouraged member states to design agri-environmental policy in a sub-national, decentralised and participatory way. However, the response to these opportunities has been quite diverse amongst the member states. This paper presents the results of a unique expert survey in nine different member states, focusing on decentralisation and participation. The results show that the way in which decisions are made affects the environmental effectiveness of AES. In particular, the involvement of actors at a local level and the participation of environmental NGOs have a positive effect on the environmental effectiveness of AES. Therefore, it is not surprising that most actors involved in decision making surrounding AESs are in favour of further decentralisation and participation in order to tackle agri-environmental problems. However, actors from the agricultural administration and agricultural associations, which are the most influential groups in terms of the design of AESs, oppose extending participation to the local level and to environmental associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an introduction to articles in this issue and the author's views on how the delivery of environmental benefits can be enhanced by the improved design and implementation of agri-environment schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in European Union (EU). He says that these agri-environment schemes have potential to achieve some of the positive outcomes required under EU environmental policy. Two of the papers in this issue are on on contract design issues.

This paper deals with policy mechanism designs for agri-environmental schemes when the bio-physical processes are characterised by threshold effects. There is a threshold effect when specified farming practices must be applied on a minimal share of an area of interest to trigger perceptible changes of the state of the natural environment. Schemes result in a pure economic loss if the induced agri-environmental efforts are not sufficient. Different situations are considered, including the lack of information on farmers' characteristics or actions, uncertainty on the relationship between farming practices and environmental quality, and combined difficulties of scheme design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a non invasive, rapid and reliable way to quantitatively assess fin erosion in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). The method is based on a visual assessment of fin profile and area loss of all fins except the anterior dorsal, on a scale from 0 to 4 in comparison with a perfect fin. The effects of stocking density (SD) and temperature on fin damage were investigated under experimental conditions (100-250 g fish). Over a 4-month period, mean erosion index (mean erosion level of all fins) was 10 times higher at 120 than at 20 kg m-3, where most fins were undamaged. Damage was also dependent on time and oxygen concentration (35% lower at 53% O2 saturation than at 105%). Fin condition was also affected by temperature: mean erosion index was 0.22-0.25 at 13-16 °C, but five times higher at 25 °C. Caudal and dorsal fins were always the most eroded. Fin damage was then monitored in a large land-based farm using high SD, and in a small sea cage farm operating at low SD. At the first site, 6 batches of two market size groups were examined: L (850-930 g, 50-80 kg m-3) and S (375-400 g, 42-60 kg m-3). Fin condition was good in all batches (mean erosion index, 1.1-1.3) and lowest at the highest SD. At the second site, four batches of large fish (350-890 g, 26-24 kg m-3) and four other groups below market size (100-270 g, 8-16 kg m-3) were examined. Fin erosion was the highest in large fish (mean erosion index, 1.1-1.2) and in the sea cages most exposed to climatic disturbances. In both sites, the most eroded fins were the caudal and dorsal. Differences in other external injuries were also observed between the two sites (less necrosis and more scale injuries in sea cages). The causes of fin damage are discussed in relation to metabolic and/or behavioral adaptations to rearing conditions and the main actions that could be taken to improve fin condition are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a useful statistical tool for the classification of chemical elements by using multidimensional empiric methods, namely Clustan Graphics 5.0. The data have been obtained by the analysis of vegetal materials, which have been collected from 4 agricultural areas in the neighborhood of Zlatna, Romania, polluted industrial area where the main activity was the extraction of copper from sulphidic ores. Clustering of various vegetations that grow up in the months of June, July and September has been applied and the elements have been grouped in several classes. We present the levels of contamination with lead and how the samples of vegetation group on a scale of the most polluted materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural development continues to remain the most important objective of Indian planning and policy. In the process of development of agriculture, pesticides have become an important tool as a plant protection agent for boosting food production. Further, pesticides play a significant role by keeping many dreadful diseases. However, exposure to pesticides both occupationally and environmentally causes a range of human health problems. It has been observed that the pesticides exposures are increasingly linked to immune suppression, hormone disruption, diminished intelligence, reproductive abnormalities and cancer. Currently, India is the largest producer of pesticides in Asia and ranks twelfth in the world for the use of pesticides. A vast majority of the population in India is engaged in agriculture and is therefore exposed to the pesticides used in agriculture. Although Indian average consumption of pesticide is far lower than many other developed economies, the problem of pesticide residue is very high in India. Pesticide residue in several crops has also affected the export of agricultural commodities in the last few years. In this context, pesticide safety, regulation of pesticide use, proper application technologies, and integrated pest management are some of the key strategies for minimizing human exposure to pesticides. There is a dearth of studies related to these issues in India. Therefore, the thrust of this paper was to review the technology of application of pesticides in India and recommend future strategies for the rational use of pesticides and minimizing the problems related to health and environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, a wind-blown-dust-emission module has been built based on a state-of-the-art wind erosion theory and evaluated in a regional air-quality model to simulate a North American dust storm episode in April 2001 (see Park, S.H., Gong, S.L., Zhao, T.L., Vet, R.J., Bouchet, V.S., Gong, W., Makar, P.A., Moran, M.D., Stroud, C., Zhang, J. 2007. Simulation of entrainment and transport of dust particles within North America in April 2001 (¿Red Dust episode¿). J. Geophys. Res. 112, D20209, doi:10.1029/2007JD008443). A satisfactorily detailed assessment of that module, however, was not possible because of a lack of information on some module inputs, especially soil moisture content. In this paper, the wind-blown-dust emission was evaluated for two additional dust storms using improved soil moisture inputs. The surface characteristics of the wind-blown-dust source areas in southwestern North America were also investigated, focusing on their implications for wind-blown-dust emissions. The improved soil moisture inputs enabled the sensitivity of other important surface characteristics, the soil grain size distribution and the land-cover, to dust emission to be investigated with more confidence. Simulations of the two 2003 dust storm episodes suggested that wind-blown-dust emissions from the desert areas in southwestern North America are dominated by emissions from dry playas covered with accumulated alluvial deposits whose particle size is much smaller than usual desert sands. As well, the source areas in the northwestern Texas region were indicated to be not desert but rather agricultural lands that were ¿activated¿ as a wind-blown-dust sources after harvest. This finding calls for revisions to the current wind-blown-dust-emission module, in which ¿desert¿ is designated to be the only land-cover category that can emit wind-blown dust. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the age of globalization, sustainability and community development are intimately connected and ultimately challenged. Sustainability is vague and so co-opted as to be almost meaningless, while community development is often reduced to economic development, without any consideration of how this could affect overall sustainability. Amidst such confusion, what does sustainable horticulture mean and how can it contribute to community development? This paper will present a new meaning for sustainability, tying it to the concept of the civil commons. From this baseline of understanding, it will then give fresh meaning to the term sustainable horticulture, allowing it to become a vehicle for the improvement of human and environmental well-being, not a means of making ever-increasing private profits, regardless of the social, environmental, and even economic costs. The organic approach forms a natural alliance with sustainability, blending to produce a form of horticulture that has the potential to be economically constructive, socially responsible, and environmentally sound. Such a sustainable horticulture would contribute to community development in the full sense of the term, not as endless growth for rootless investors but as the unfolding of potential for more than just the lucky few. In our globalized world, four out of every five people have been made poor, the climate has been destabilized, and we experience endless war for control of dwindling resources. Horticulture can either exacerbate these problems or help to solve them. A truly sustainable horticulture would not only be organic, but also produce social, environmental, and economic justice, thus contributing to local community development on a global scale and becoming part of what has been referred to as sustainable globalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of microbial concentrations and loads in receiving waters is a key requirement for informing policy decisions in order to safeguard human health. However, modelling the fate and transfer dynamics of faecally derived microorganisms at different spatial scales poses a considerable challenge to the research and policy community. The objective of this paper is to critically evaluate the complexities and associated uncertainties attributed to the development of models for assessing agriculturally derived microbial pollution of watercourses. A series of key issues with respect to scale appropriate modelling of diffuse microbial pollution from agriculture is presented, and these include: (1) appreciating inadequacies in baseline sampling to underpin model development; (2) uncertainty in the magnitudes of microbial pollutants attributed to different faecal sources; (3) continued development of the empirical evidence base in line with other agricultural pollutants; (4) acknowledging the value of interdisciplinary working; and (5) beginning to account for economics in model development. It is argued that uncertainty in model predictions produces a space for meaningful scrutiny of the nature of evidence and assumptions underpinning model applications around which pathways towards more effective model development may ultimately emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural lands both provide and rely upon important ecosystem services (ES), which are generally unrecognised and uncompensated due to missing markets and market failure. In addition to their essential role in meeting the growing demand for food and other agricultural products, agricultural lands also play an important role in sequestering carbon, managing watersheds, and providing landscapes. However, intensification and unsustainable agricultural activities contribute to degradation of several ES. This paper provides a case study of the intensification of pastoral farming in New Zealand and its detrimental environmental impacts on ES such as increased nitrate leaching to streams and rivers, increased methane gas emissions, increased demands for surface and groundwater for irrigation, and reduced variety in pastoral landscapes. Choice modelling is applied to obtain monetary estimates, such as willingness-to-pay (WTP), for improvements in the levels of selected ES. The study explains the importance of these ES values for policy development and examines how incentives can be introduced to induce farmers to reduce harmful effects on ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper examines the linkages between agricultural policies and deforestation in a development frontier of Southern Mexico, focusing on support programs targeted at buffering farmers from structural reforms. We argue that local barriers to market participation condition the responsiveness of farmers to program incentives, thereby constituting a key channel through which agricultural policies impact the environment. An econometric model parameterizes the influence of two programs, PROCAMPO and Alianza para el Campo, on cultivation. Consistent with an economic environment characterized by market barriers, results suggest that program support, even when decoupled from production decisions, significantly determines land use and deforestation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Organic mushroom cultivation is one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture. At the core of the organic philosophy lies a ban on the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, in addition to such tenets as animal welfare, energy efficiency, and social justice. Hypsizygus marmoreus (HM) is a highly praised cultivated culinary and medicinal mushroom. The objective of this paper was to assess the suitability of different spawn media and then the potential of various cultivation substrates to support HM mushroom production compatible with organic standards. This objective was met through the setup of a low-cost cultivation infrastructure. First, seven types of spawn media were tested; then we tested 24 substrates made from organic by-products for their biological efficiency (BE) with strain HM 830, using the liquid inoculation method. The best substrate in terms of BE was corn cob with bran and olive press cake, with a BE of 85.6%. The BE of the same composition but without olive press cake was only 67.5%. The next best substrates were cotton straw combinations with a BE of 31.5–53%. The spent mushroom substrate provides a good method for the disposal of solid waste. The guidance provided in this research complies with organic mushroom cultivation standards and can be used to produce certified organic mushrooms. In addition, it allows responsible and beneficial disposal of a large amount of solid agro-industrial waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pollution swapping can be defined as the increase in one pollutant as a result of a measure introduced to reduce a different pollutant. Although pollution swapping is widely understood it has received relatively little research attention and receives little consideration in agri-environmental policy. Evidence of pollution swapping in constructed wetlands, riparian buffer zones, cover crops, crop residue retention and no-tillage is examined in this paper. These widely used mitigation options are all successful at reducing diffuse pollutants but literature review shows that there is potential for them to increase levels of one or more other pollutants. There is potential for the widespread adoption of mitigation options to result in unexpected increases in some pollutants. There are a number of barriers to the recognition of pollution swapping in agri-environmental legislation including a lack of tools to evaluate the relative impacts of different pollutants, gaps in our knowledge of the impacts of mitigation measures on non-target pollutants and institutional barriers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Food production requires application of fertilizers containing phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium on agricultural fields in order to sustain crop yields. However modern agriculture is dependent on phosphorus derived from phosphate rock, which is a non-renewable resource and current global reserves may be depleted in 50–100 years. While phosphorus demand is projected to increase, the expected global peak in phosphorus production is predicted to occur around 2030. The exact timing of peak phosphorus production might be disputed, however it is widely acknowledged within the fertilizer industry that the quality of remaining phosphate rock is decreasing and production costs are increasing. Yet future access to phosphorus receives little or no international attention. This paper puts forward the case for including long-term phosphorus scarcity on the priority agenda for global food security. Opportunities for recovering phosphorus and reducing demand are also addressed together with institutional challenges. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Agriculture has drastically transformed landscapes and ecosystems on this planet. These changes alter the supply of goods and ecosystem services thereby impacting human well-being. There are significant environmental impacts associated with modern agriculture and green revolution technologies. This has promoted the development of agricultural production systems that try to reduce the environmental impact and/or improve the well-being of producers. Agricultural certification is one such strategy. This set of management practices promotes agricultural production that simultaneously generates some environmental, social, economic, and quality benefits. Shade-grown coffee production is one of these environmentally-friendly management practices. This paper describes this kind of agricultural production and discusses some of the changes associated with certification as well as the impact it has had on the landscape of Aratoca (Santander). The article also analyzes the differences between certified and non-certified producers. It concludes with some suggestions for the certification process in order to make it a win-win (environment-society) situation for different kinds of coffee growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has two goals. It aims, first, to explore how the use of goal programming (GP) techniques within a Simonian-bounded rationality context can be an operational framework for dealing with the sustainable management of agricultural systems. Second, it goes on to apply this type of theoretical framework to a case study related to the sustainable management of irrigated agriculture in the Spanish Monegros District, where GP models are used to establish sensible compromises among economic and environmental criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report an application of neural networks to simulate daily nitrate-nitrogen and suspended sediment fluxes from a small 7.1km2 agricultural catchment (Melarchez), 70km east of Paris, France. Nitrate-nitrogen and sediment losses are only a few possible consequences of soil erosion and biochemical applications associated to human activities such as intensive agriculture. Stacked multilayer perceptrons models (MLPs) like the ones explored here are based on commonly available inputs and yet are reasonably accurate considering their simplicity and ease of implementation. Note that the simulation does not resort on water quality flux observations at previous time steps as model inputs, which would be appropriate, for example, to predict the water chemistry of a drinking water plant a few time steps ahead. The water quality fluxes are strictly mapped to historical mean flux values and to hydro-climatic variables such as stream flow, rainfall, and soil moisture index (12 model input candidates in total), allowing its usage even when no flux observations are available. Self-organizing feature maps based on the network structure established by Kohonen were employed first to produce the training and the testing data sets, with the intent to produce statistically close subsets so that any difference in model performance between validation and testing has to be associated to the model and not to the data subsets. The stacked MLPs reached different levels of performance simulating the nitrate-nitrogen flux and the suspended sediment flux. In the first instance, 2-input stacked MLP nitrate-nitrogen simulations, based on the same-day stream flow and on the 80-cm soil moisture index, have a performance of almost 90% according to the efficiency index. On the other hand, the performance of 3-input stacked MLPs (same-day stream flow, same-day historical flux, and same-day stream flow increment) reached a little more than 75% according to the same criterion. The results presented here are deemed already promising enough, and should encourage water resources managers to implement simple models whenever appropriate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper examines which factors determine the participation of households in long term contracting with local farmers. Are households motivated by reducing the environmental impacts of their food consumption? A discrete-choice model of community supported agriculture (CSA) participation is applied to a sample of 264 French households. The findings suggest that difficult-to-measure attributes, notably environmental considerations play a major role in explaining CSA participation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The issue addressed in this paper is whether implementation of the CAP MTR, (involving decoupled payments reduced by “modulations” and subject to cross-compliance measures) can be effective in improving the environmental impact of arable farming. The focus is on two French cross-compliance measures (compulsory buffer strips along rivers and crop diversity). A farm-level bio-economic model incorporating yield uncertainty is built and adjusted to represent two typical arable farms in the Southwest of France. The model also combines agro-environmental indicators. The results indicate that a simple decoupling of direct payments, without cross-compliance measures, has no impact on allocations between different crops. If cross-compliance measures are imposed, a small reduction in the cultivated area of irrigated crops is observed. The penalty levied (1% of the total subsidy paid) when farmers do not comply with the “buffer strips” requirement is sufficient for both farm-types. Decoupling and modulation result in a fall in the total gross margin of around 3%, principally because of the 5% modulation rate, while the “buffer strips” requirement leads to a further decrease of around 1%. Moreover, this requirement improves the environmental indicators at the farm level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract   Persoonia falcata R. Br. and Buchanania obovata Engl. seeds are consistently preserved in abundance from archaeological sites across the Keep River region from 3500 b.p. up until the contact period. Although artefacts continued to be deposited after establishment of the pastoral industry, remains of these two plant species disappear in the upper levels of all excavated deposits. The contemporary vegetation in the vicinity of these sites appears to lack P. falcata, although B. obovata remains in abundance. These observations raise questions regarding (1) the impact of changing land-use and fire regimes, (2) the impact of Aboriginal land management on particular plant species and (3) the reorientation of Aboriginal site use across the region after settlement. These issues are explored in this paper using a comparative analysis of stand structure of the contemporary vegetation around previously excavated sites, as well as from published information on recent regional fire history. Results show improved recruitment of P. falcata (that is, seedlings are recruited into adult life stages) in the only site where Aboriginal people have re-introduced customary management. Both the timing of burning and significant unburnt periods appear important to the post-contact decline and also in the future success of populations of P. falcata in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erosion of soil from subsistence agricultures on lands with steep slopes and shallow soil is poorly documented, particularly in Brazil. This paper details the hydrological and soil loss responses to traditional agriculture (shifting agriculture) of a steeply sloped sector (32° incline) classified by FAO has having Regosol soil. This sector is in Guarapuava, Brazil and is covered by a shallow, clayed soil that originates from basalt rock. All measurements were carried out between May 2003 and April 2004. Three replicate plots were established at three randomly selected land sites, which were under different phases of the rotational cycle: burned, fallow or shrubs. A total of 76 natural rainfall events were measured throughout the study period and the accumulated precipitation was 1538.9mm. Rainstorms ≥30mm were important for runoff and soil loss. The average runoff (expressed as a proportion of the total rainfall) over the 12-month investigation period for each of the three sites was determined to be 2.4%, 1.0%, and 1.4% for burned, fallow, and shrubs, respectively. The response to rainfall during the measurement period differed completely at each site. The average soil loss was as follows: for shrubs, fallow, and burned sites, average loss was 1.2t/(hayear), 5.1t/(hayear), and 6.1t/(hayear), respectively. The results suggest that fire and traditional agriculture tillage practices affected the topsoil. Shifting cultivation patterns in the steeply sloped sectors cause a succession of high, intermediate, and low soil loss regimes, which are important for understanding contemporary landscape dynamics and land degradation in the Guarapuava region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate change is currently attracting interest at both research and policy levels. However, it is usually explored in terms of its effect on agriculture, water, industry, energy, transport and health and as yet has been insufficiently addressed as a factor threatening cultural heritage. Among the climate parameters critical to heritage conservation and expected to change in the future, precipitation plays an important role in surface recession of stone. The Lipfert function has been taken under consideration to quantify the annual surface recession of carbonate stone, due to the effects of clean rain, acid rain and dry deposition of pollutants. The present paper provides Europe-wide maps showing quantitative predictions of surface recession on carbonate stones for the 21st century, combining a modified Lipfert function with output from the Hadley global climate model. Chemical dissolution of carbonate stones, via the karst effect, will increase with future CO2 concentrations, and will come to dominate over sulfur deposition and acid rain effects on monuments and buildings in both urban and rural areas. During the present century the rainfall contribution to surface recession is likely to have a small effect, while the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration is shown to be the main factor in increasing weathering via the karst effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Agriculture, a century old practice, has rarely been questioned as it is a necessity for feeding the world''s population. With the increase in food requirement, the sustainability of upland agriculture has posed threats to downstream and coastal areas of river basins. In South Asia, the coastal population depends on the lower part of the river basin for their livelihood such as agriculture and aquaculture. There have been numerous occasions where downstream areas have suffered as a consequence of ad hoc agricultural development activities upstream. Problems encountered in the downstream coastal areas include river desiccation, groundwater depletion, water pollution and sedimentation, salinization and salt water intrusion, soil erosion and nutrient depletion, and dynamic changes in the coastal wetland systems. The objective of this paper is to evaluate current agricultural practices, existing problems, and their implications downstream. This would facilitate the adoption of the river basin approach in managing water resources focusing on the South Asian region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories are frequently used input data for air quality models with a domain situated in Europe. In CORINAIR emission inventories, sources are broken down over 11 major source categories. This paper presents spatial surrogates for the disaggregation of CORINAIR atmospheric emission inventories for input of air pollutants and particulate matter to grid or polygon based air quality model domains inside Europe. The basis for the disaggregation model was the CLC2000 land cover data to which statistical weights were added. Weights were population census data for residential emissions, employment statistics for agricultural and industrial area emissions, livestock statistics for ammonia emissions and annual aircraft movements for emissions realized by air transport. Additional road and off-road network information was used to disaggregate emissions realized by traffic. A comparison of top down produced emission estimates with spatially resolved national emission data for The Netherlands and the United Kingdom gave confidence in the present spatial surrogates as a tool for the top down production of atmospheric emission maps. Explained variance at a spatial resolution of 5km was >70% for CO, NMVOC and NO x , >60% for PM10 and almost 50% for SO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Overintensification and subsidies have long made American commodity farmers the enemy of conservationists. Yet, environmental conditions are improving in the Mississippi Delta where farmer-based groups, water management districts and conservation organizations have improved environmental quality and redefined the role of agriculture in environmental preservation. This work is all the more remarkable given the region’s deeply conservative politics that discourage regulation. This paper examines this mainstreaming of environmental values in light of debates on the role of the state in fostering environmental subjectivities. Following cultural examinations of the state, we caution that the presence or retreat of the state is insufficient to understanding environmental subjectivities. Instead, an ethnographic focus is necessary to identify connections between the state and particular human-environment relations. In the Delta, this focus shows that local environmentalism is consonant with a politics of unsustainability, one that simultaneously advances radical ecological change and defense of the region’s social hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use patterns influence the long-term productivity of agro-ecosystems and result from socio-economic as well as biophysical and climatic drivers. This paper qualitatively examines how past demographic and political-economic changes in southern Romania twice led to vulnerable socio-economic and agro-ecological systems. Drawing on this case study, we establish broad-brush hypotheses identifying some of the potential causes of vulnerability. We suggest that vulnerable systems appear more likely to occur when socio-political uncertainty combines with a lack of off-farm employment in regions where there are abundant natural capital stocks that can be quickly liquidated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Adapting through innovation is one way for rural communities to sustain and improve their livelihoods and environments. Since the 1980s research and development organizations have developed participatory approaches to foster rural innovation. This paper develops a model, called the Learning-to-Innovate (LTI) model, of four basic processes linked to decision making and learning which regulate rate and quality of innovation. The processes are: creating awareness of new opportunities; deciding to adopt; adapting and changing practice; and learning and selecting. The model is then used to analyse four participatory approaches and the model is evaluated through the quality of insights generated. It shows that, while outwardly very different, the four approaches are built from combinations of 11 strategies. Most of these strategies are aimed at providing information about new opportunities and deciding whether to adopt, and give less support to the other two processes, thus suggesting one way the four participatory approaches can be strengthened. Beyond analysing participatory approaches, the model could be used as a framework for diagnosing the health of local innovation systems and designing tailor-made approaches to strengthen them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, agroecology can be interpreted as a scientific discipline, as a movement or as a practice. In this paper we analyse the historical evolution of the scientific discipline of agroecology with a quantitative bibliometric analysis of 711 publications using the term agroecology and the derived term agroecological, as well as a qualitative analysis of definitions, topics and scales, where we also include further important works on agroecology. Agroecology emerged in the 1930s and the period up until the 1960s was the initial phase of agroecology. During the 1970s and 1980s, agroecology as a science expanded, and in the 1990s became institutionalized and consolidated. Since the 2000s, broader definitions have provided the basis for new dimensions in agroecology. During the last two decades the range of topics treated within agroecology grew enormously; also the publication rate has exploded within the last 10 years. The scale and dimension of scientific research in agroecology has changed over the past 80 years from the plot or field scale to the farm or agroecosystem scale and finally to the food system. Currently, three approaches persist: (1) the plot/field scale; (2) the agroecosystem/farm scale; and (3) the food system approach. In spite of a vague utilization of the term agroecology through its different meanings and definitions, the new views and dimensions brought to agroecology as a scientific discipline will probably facilitate efforts to respond to actual important questions on sustainable agriculture, global land use and climate change, or food security, due to increasingly applied systems thinking and interdisciplinary research approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During 1999-2000, great parts of Ethiopia experienced a period of famine which was recognised internationally. The aim of this paper is to characterise the epidemiology of mortality of the period, making use of individual, longitudinal population-based data from the Butajira demographic surveillance site and rainfall data from a local site. Methods: Vital statistics and household data were routinely collected in a cluster sample of 10 sub-communities in the Butajira district in central Ethiopia. These were supplemented by rainfall and agricultural data from the national reporting systems. Results: Rainfall was high in 1998 and well below average in 1999 and 2000. In 1998, heavy rains continued from April into October, in 1999 the small rains failed and the big rains lasted into the harvesting period. For the years 1998-1999, the mortality rate was 24.5 per 1,000 person-years, compared with 10.2 in the remainder of the period 1997-2001. Mortality peaks reflect epidemics of malaria and diarrhoeal disease. During these peaks, mortality was significantly higher among the poorer. Conclusions: The analyses reveal a serious humanitarian crisis with the Butajira population during 1998-1999, which met the CDC guideline crisis definition of more than one death per 10,000 per day. No substantial humanitarian relief efforts were triggered, though from the results it seems likely that the poorest in the farming communities are as vulnerable as the pastoralists in the North and East of Ethiopia. Food insecurity and reliance on subsistence agriculture continue to be major issues in this and similar rural communities. Epidemics of traditional infectious diseases can still be devastating, given opportunities in nutritionally challenged populations with little access to health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]