This report provides an overall assessment of land fragmentation problems in East Africa. Many parts of East Africa have become highly fragmented, putting development systems and activities in these areas at risk of c...This report provides an overall assessment of land fragmentation problems in East Africa. Many parts of East Africa have become highly fragmented, putting development systems and activities in these areas at risk of complete collapse. Land fragmentation occurs when land gets converted for agriculture, industrialization, or urbanization, invaded by non-local plants, or enclosed for individual use and by subdividing farmlands into subsequent smaller units called parcels with varying average farm sizes. Fragmentation results from inappropriate agricultural development processes and ineffective land use planning that fails to recognize how farmland is used, and the importance of its interconnected areas. Insecurity of tenure and resource rights are key factors in making this possible. Land fragmentation is one of the key reasons why the ability of most resources in East Africa becomes scarcer, and those remaining become “privatized” by more powerful community members—keen to maintain their access to them. Such individualistic attitudes are new and disadvantage the poorest even further by affecting the traditional customary safety nets and agricultural outputs. Neither the government nor customary governance systems effectively protect resource access for the poorest. This review summary report identifies the key causes, measures, and implications, government interventions, and the common remedies to land fragmentation problems in the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania including neighboring Ethiopia, and the Sudan. The findings indicated from 2005 to 2015, the population kept increasing for all the named countries in East Africa with Rwanda and Uganda having a substantial increase in population density. The study review further explores the trend in the performance of agriculture by average farm sizes within the intervals of five years by highlighting their strong linkages and found that the average farm size has declined drastically, especially for Kenya. This can only mean that small展开更多
Background: Plastic pollution is the accumulation of waste composed of plastic and its derivatives all over the environment. Whether in the form of visible garbage or microparticles, as it slowly degrades, plastic pol...Background: Plastic pollution is the accumulation of waste composed of plastic and its derivatives all over the environment. Whether in the form of visible garbage or microparticles, as it slowly degrades, plastic pollution poses significant threats to terrestrial and aquatic habitats and the wildlife that call them home, whether through ingestion, entanglement or exposure to the chemicals contained in the material. Unfortunately, there is a lack of documentation on the impact of plastic waste on human health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL and Web of Science) and gray literature, following the preferred reporting elements for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), for the impact of plastic waste on human health in developing countries. We included quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and French. We assessed the quality of the included articles using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool (MMAT). Results: A total of 3779 articles were initially identified by searching electronic databases. After eliminating duplicates, 3167 articles were reviewed based on title and abstract, and 26 were selected for full-text review. Only three articles were retained. The three articles dealt with practices likely to lead to oral exposure to plastic chemicals in human health, as well as the level of awareness of participants concerning the possible impact of plastic on human health, namely, the use of plastic baby bottles, the use of microwaves to cook food and reheat precooked food, the use of plastic bottles to store water in the refrigerator, water purifier containers with plastic bodies and plastic lunch boxes, the reuse of plastic bags and the inadequacy of treatment facilities. Conclusion: Plastic waste poses different risks to human health at every stage of its life cycle. Hence, strategies must be adopted to raise public awareness of the dangers of plastic waste to their health. Trial registration: The r展开更多
Climate change interacts with other environmental stressors and vulnerability factors.Some places and,owing to socioeconomic conditions,some people,are far more at risk.The data behind current assessments of the envir...Climate change interacts with other environmental stressors and vulnerability factors.Some places and,owing to socioeconomic conditions,some people,are far more at risk.The data behind current assessments of the environment−wellbeing nexus is coarse and regionally aggregated,when considering multiple regions/groups;or,when granular,comes from ad hoc samples with few variables.To assess the impacts of climate change,we require data that are granular and comprehensive,both in the variables and population studied.We build a publicly accessible data set,the SHARE-ENV data set,which fulfills these criteria.We expand on EU representative,individual-level,longitudinal data(the SHARE survey),with environmental exposure information about temperature,radiation,precipitation,pollution,and flood events.We illustrate through four simplified multilevel linear regressions,cross-sectional and longitudinal,how full-fledged studies can use SHARE-ENV to contribute to the literature.Such studies would help assess climate impacts and estimate the effectiveness and fairness of several climate adaptation policies.Other surveys can be expanded with environmental information to unlock different research avenues.展开更多
Arundinaria spanostachya is the main bamboo species on which giant pandas forage.Information on its regeneration capacity to meet the foraging demands of pandas is important to ensure the long-term survival of pandas....Arundinaria spanostachya is the main bamboo species on which giant pandas forage.Information on its regeneration capacity to meet the foraging demands of pandas is important to ensure the long-term survival of pandas.In 2014,2 plot types(grazed versus control)were selected in the winter habitat used by one wild giant panda.Various morphological and regeneration characteristics of the bamboo were assessed in the respective plots during 2014 and 2015.The panda avoided feeding on bamboo with a basal diameter of<6 mm,preferentially feeding on intermediate-sized bamboo.The density of new shoots and the recruitment rate of shoots were significantly higher in the grazed plots compared to the control plots.The annual recruitment rate of shoots was markedly higher than the annual mortality rate in the same plot type.After grazing,the basal diameter and height of new bamboo were similar between the 2 plots.In the grazed plots,the basal diameter of new bamboo was similar to that of the stumps.Innutrition and foraging by insects were the main factors influencing the survival of new shoots.Our results showed that grazing by giant pandas helped the clonal regeneration of A.spanostachya populations,with the basal diameter of new bamboo shoots meeting the foraging demand of pandas.However,information on the carrying capacity of A.spanostachya is necessary to ensure sufficient forage matter is available for reintroduced giant pandas.Furthermore,fertilization and insect control measures should be implemented during the shooting period to optimize A.spanostachya resources.展开更多
Environmental infrastructure investment(EII)is an important environmental policy instrument on responding to greenhouse gas(GHG)emission and air pollution.This paper employs an improved stochastic impact by regression...Environmental infrastructure investment(EII)is an important environmental policy instrument on responding to greenhouse gas(GHG)emission and air pollution.This paper employs an improved stochastic impact by regression on population,affluence and technology(STRIPAT)model by using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces and municipalities for the period of 2003–2015 to investigate the effect of EII on CO2 emissions,SO2 emissions,and PM2.5 pollution.The results indicate that EII has a positive and significant effect on mitigating CO2 emission.However,the effect of EII on SO2 emission fluctuated although it still contributes to the reduction of PM2.5 pollution through technology innovations.Energy intensity has the largest impact on GHG emissions and air pollution,followed by GDP per capita and industrial structure.In addition,the effect of EII on environmental issues varies in different regions.Such findings suggest that policies on EII should be region-specific so that more appropriate mitigation policies can be raised by considering the local realities.展开更多
Background:Fagus sylvatica forms the treeline across the Apennines mountain range,with an average elevation of 1589 ma.s.l.Previous studies evidenced that the current position of the treeline in the Apennines is heavi...Background:Fagus sylvatica forms the treeline across the Apennines mountain range,with an average elevation of 1589 ma.s.l.Previous studies evidenced that the current position of the treeline in the Apennines is heavily depressed as a result of a complex interaction between climatic factors and the past human pressure.In this study we correlated treeline elevation in the fifteen major mountain groups in the Apennines with selected climatic,geomorphological,and human disturbance variables in order to investigate in detail the site-specific features affecting the current treeline distribution.Results:Treeline elevation was lowest in the North Italy(Apuan Alps),while the highest treeline was found in Central Italy(Simbruini).An absolute maximum treeline elevation of F.sylvatica exceeding 2000ma.s.l.was found on 13 mountain peaks in Central and Southern Italy.Noteworthy,treeline elevation was largely lower on warmer south-facing slopes compared to northern slopes,with values several hundred meters lower in the Gran Sasso and Velino-Sirente.Although the causes of this pattern are still unknown,we argue that treeline elevation on southfacing slopes may be limited by the combination of climatic constraints(i.e.summer drought)and human disturbance.Evidence of a pervasive anthropogenic effect depressing treeline elevation was found in the North(Apuan Alps)Central(Gran Sasso,Velino-Sirente,Sibillini)and Southern part of Apennines(Pollino).By contrast,treeline elevation of the Laga,Simbruini,and Orsomarso mountain groups appears less affected by past anthropogenic disturbance.Finally,we recorded in the several mountain groups(i.e.Majella,Marsicani and Pollino)the coexistence of very depressed treelines just a few kilometers away from much higher treelines,among the highest ever recorded for F.sylvatica.Conclusions:Finally,we argue that F.sylvatica treeline across the Apennines is locally shaped both by the interaction of low temperatures experienced by the species in its earliest life stages in snow-free open spaces with su展开更多
文摘This report provides an overall assessment of land fragmentation problems in East Africa. Many parts of East Africa have become highly fragmented, putting development systems and activities in these areas at risk of complete collapse. Land fragmentation occurs when land gets converted for agriculture, industrialization, or urbanization, invaded by non-local plants, or enclosed for individual use and by subdividing farmlands into subsequent smaller units called parcels with varying average farm sizes. Fragmentation results from inappropriate agricultural development processes and ineffective land use planning that fails to recognize how farmland is used, and the importance of its interconnected areas. Insecurity of tenure and resource rights are key factors in making this possible. Land fragmentation is one of the key reasons why the ability of most resources in East Africa becomes scarcer, and those remaining become “privatized” by more powerful community members—keen to maintain their access to them. Such individualistic attitudes are new and disadvantage the poorest even further by affecting the traditional customary safety nets and agricultural outputs. Neither the government nor customary governance systems effectively protect resource access for the poorest. This review summary report identifies the key causes, measures, and implications, government interventions, and the common remedies to land fragmentation problems in the East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania including neighboring Ethiopia, and the Sudan. The findings indicated from 2005 to 2015, the population kept increasing for all the named countries in East Africa with Rwanda and Uganda having a substantial increase in population density. The study review further explores the trend in the performance of agriculture by average farm sizes within the intervals of five years by highlighting their strong linkages and found that the average farm size has declined drastically, especially for Kenya. This can only mean that small
文摘Background: Plastic pollution is the accumulation of waste composed of plastic and its derivatives all over the environment. Whether in the form of visible garbage or microparticles, as it slowly degrades, plastic pollution poses significant threats to terrestrial and aquatic habitats and the wildlife that call them home, whether through ingestion, entanglement or exposure to the chemicals contained in the material. Unfortunately, there is a lack of documentation on the impact of plastic waste on human health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL and Web of Science) and gray literature, following the preferred reporting elements for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), for the impact of plastic waste on human health in developing countries. We included quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and French. We assessed the quality of the included articles using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool (MMAT). Results: A total of 3779 articles were initially identified by searching electronic databases. After eliminating duplicates, 3167 articles were reviewed based on title and abstract, and 26 were selected for full-text review. Only three articles were retained. The three articles dealt with practices likely to lead to oral exposure to plastic chemicals in human health, as well as the level of awareness of participants concerning the possible impact of plastic on human health, namely, the use of plastic baby bottles, the use of microwaves to cook food and reheat precooked food, the use of plastic bottles to store water in the refrigerator, water purifier containers with plastic bodies and plastic lunch boxes, the reuse of plastic bags and the inadequacy of treatment facilities. Conclusion: Plastic waste poses different risks to human health at every stage of its life cycle. Hence, strategies must be adopted to raise public awareness of the dangers of plastic waste to their health. Trial registration: The r
基金funding from the European Research Council(ERC)under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program grant agreement No.756194,“ENERGYA,”and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 956107,“Economic Policy in Complex Environments(EPOC)”MNM was supported by the European Commission(H2020-MSCA-IF-2020)under REA grant agreement no.101022870.
文摘Climate change interacts with other environmental stressors and vulnerability factors.Some places and,owing to socioeconomic conditions,some people,are far more at risk.The data behind current assessments of the environment−wellbeing nexus is coarse and regionally aggregated,when considering multiple regions/groups;or,when granular,comes from ad hoc samples with few variables.To assess the impacts of climate change,we require data that are granular and comprehensive,both in the variables and population studied.We build a publicly accessible data set,the SHARE-ENV data set,which fulfills these criteria.We expand on EU representative,individual-level,longitudinal data(the SHARE survey),with environmental exposure information about temperature,radiation,precipitation,pollution,and flood events.We illustrate through four simplified multilevel linear regressions,cross-sectional and longitudinal,how full-fledged studies can use SHARE-ENV to contribute to the literature.Such studies would help assess climate impacts and estimate the effectiveness and fairness of several climate adaptation policies.Other surveys can be expanded with environmental information to unlock different research avenues.
基金supported by National Natural science Foundation of China(No.31370367)
文摘Arundinaria spanostachya is the main bamboo species on which giant pandas forage.Information on its regeneration capacity to meet the foraging demands of pandas is important to ensure the long-term survival of pandas.In 2014,2 plot types(grazed versus control)were selected in the winter habitat used by one wild giant panda.Various morphological and regeneration characteristics of the bamboo were assessed in the respective plots during 2014 and 2015.The panda avoided feeding on bamboo with a basal diameter of<6 mm,preferentially feeding on intermediate-sized bamboo.The density of new shoots and the recruitment rate of shoots were significantly higher in the grazed plots compared to the control plots.The annual recruitment rate of shoots was markedly higher than the annual mortality rate in the same plot type.After grazing,the basal diameter and height of new bamboo were similar between the 2 plots.In the grazed plots,the basal diameter of new bamboo was similar to that of the stumps.Innutrition and foraging by insects were the main factors influencing the survival of new shoots.Our results showed that grazing by giant pandas helped the clonal regeneration of A.spanostachya populations,with the basal diameter of new bamboo shoots meeting the foraging demand of pandas.However,information on the carrying capacity of A.spanostachya is necessary to ensure sufficient forage matter is available for reintroduced giant pandas.Furthermore,fertilization and insect control measures should be implemented during the shooting period to optimize A.spanostachya resources.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.71810107001,71690241)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2017MG019)+3 种基金the Postdoctoral fund(No.18Z102060077)China Youth Foundation Project of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education(No.18YJC630148)Shandong Social Science Planning Project(No.15CGLG19)a Special Fund for Big Data of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(SJTU-2019UGBD-03).
文摘Environmental infrastructure investment(EII)is an important environmental policy instrument on responding to greenhouse gas(GHG)emission and air pollution.This paper employs an improved stochastic impact by regression on population,affluence and technology(STRIPAT)model by using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces and municipalities for the period of 2003–2015 to investigate the effect of EII on CO2 emissions,SO2 emissions,and PM2.5 pollution.The results indicate that EII has a positive and significant effect on mitigating CO2 emission.However,the effect of EII on SO2 emission fluctuated although it still contributes to the reduction of PM2.5 pollution through technology innovations.Energy intensity has the largest impact on GHG emissions and air pollution,followed by GDP per capita and industrial structure.In addition,the effect of EII on environmental issues varies in different regions.Such findings suggest that policies on EII should be region-specific so that more appropriate mitigation policies can be raised by considering the local realities.
基金partially supported by the Ph D programme at the ‘School of Agricultural and Food Sciences’ granted to VM and MZ, in the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico Ⅱ.
文摘Background:Fagus sylvatica forms the treeline across the Apennines mountain range,with an average elevation of 1589 ma.s.l.Previous studies evidenced that the current position of the treeline in the Apennines is heavily depressed as a result of a complex interaction between climatic factors and the past human pressure.In this study we correlated treeline elevation in the fifteen major mountain groups in the Apennines with selected climatic,geomorphological,and human disturbance variables in order to investigate in detail the site-specific features affecting the current treeline distribution.Results:Treeline elevation was lowest in the North Italy(Apuan Alps),while the highest treeline was found in Central Italy(Simbruini).An absolute maximum treeline elevation of F.sylvatica exceeding 2000ma.s.l.was found on 13 mountain peaks in Central and Southern Italy.Noteworthy,treeline elevation was largely lower on warmer south-facing slopes compared to northern slopes,with values several hundred meters lower in the Gran Sasso and Velino-Sirente.Although the causes of this pattern are still unknown,we argue that treeline elevation on southfacing slopes may be limited by the combination of climatic constraints(i.e.summer drought)and human disturbance.Evidence of a pervasive anthropogenic effect depressing treeline elevation was found in the North(Apuan Alps)Central(Gran Sasso,Velino-Sirente,Sibillini)and Southern part of Apennines(Pollino).By contrast,treeline elevation of the Laga,Simbruini,and Orsomarso mountain groups appears less affected by past anthropogenic disturbance.Finally,we recorded in the several mountain groups(i.e.Majella,Marsicani and Pollino)the coexistence of very depressed treelines just a few kilometers away from much higher treelines,among the highest ever recorded for F.sylvatica.Conclusions:Finally,we argue that F.sylvatica treeline across the Apennines is locally shaped both by the interaction of low temperatures experienced by the species in its earliest life stages in snow-free open spaces with su
