1
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Rotundo JL, Marshall R, McCormick R, Truong SK, Styles D, Gerde JA, Gonzalez-Escobar E, Carmo-Silva E, Janes-Bassett V, Logue J, Annicchiarico P, de Visser C, Dind A, Dodd IC, Dye L, Long SP, Lopes MS, Pannecoucque J, Reckling M, Rushton J, Schmid N, Shield I, Signor M, Messina CD, Rufino MC. European soybean to benefit people and the environment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7612. [PMID: 38556523 PMCID: PMC10982307 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57522-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Europe imports large amounts of soybean that are predominantly used for livestock feed, mainly sourced from Brazil, USA and Argentina. In addition, the demand for GM-free soybean for human consumption is project to increase. Soybean has higher protein quality and digestibility than other legumes, along with high concentrations of isoflavones, phytosterols and minerals that enhance the nutritional value as a human food ingredient. Here, we examine the potential to increase soybean production across Europe for livestock feed and direct human consumption, and review possible effects on the environment and human health. Simulations and field data indicate rainfed soybean yields of 3.1 ± 1.2 t ha-1 from southern UK through to southern Europe (compared to a 3.5 t ha-1 average from North America). Drought-prone southern regions and cooler northern regions require breeding to incorporate stress-tolerance traits. Literature synthesized in this work evidenced soybean properties important to human nutrition, health, and traits related to food processing compared to alternative protein sources. While acknowledging the uncertainties inherent in any modelling exercise, our findings suggest that further integrating soybean into European agriculture could reduce GHG emissions by 37-291 Mt CO2e year-1 and fertiliser N use by 0.6-1.2 Mt year-1, concurrently improving human health and nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L Rotundo
- Corteva Agriscience, Seville, Spain.
- Corteva Agriscience, Johnston, USA.
| | - Rachel Marshall
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | | | | | - David Styles
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jose A Gerde
- Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario, UNR, CONICET, Zavalla, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Jennifer Logue
- Lancaster Medical School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | | | - Chris de Visser
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alice Dind
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
| | - Ian C Dodd
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Louise Dye
- School of Psychology and Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Stephen P Long
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Departments of Crop Sciences and of Plant Biology, University of Illinois, Champaign, USA
| | - Marta S Lopes
- Sustainable Field Crops, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Lleida, Spain
| | - Joke Pannecoucque
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Moritz Reckling
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonathan Rushton
- Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Food Systems, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Nathaniel Schmid
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Frick, Switzerland
| | | | - Marco Signor
- Regional Agency for Rural Development (ERSA), Gorizia, Italy
| | | | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, München, Germany
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2
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Antonietta M, de Felipe M, Rothwell SA, Williams TB, Skilleter P, Albacete A, Borras L, Rufino MC, Dodd IC. Prolonged low temperature exposure de-sensitises ABA-induced stomatal closure in soybean, involving an ethylene-dependent process. Plant Cell Environ 2023; 46:2128-2141. [PMID: 37066607 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chilling can decrease stomatal sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) in some legumes, although hormonal mechanisms involved are unclear. After evaluating leaf gas exchange of 16 European soybean genotypes at 14°C, 6 genotypes representing the range of response were selected. Further experiments combined low (L, 14°C) and high (H, 24°C) temperature exposure from sowing until the unifoliate leaf was visible and L or H temperature until full leaf expansion, to impose four temperature treatments: LL, LH, HL, and HH. Prolonged chilling (LL) substantially decreased leaf water content but increased leaf ethylene evolution and foliar concentrations of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, ABA and jasmonic acid. Across genotypes, photosynthesis linearly increased with stomatal conductance (Gs), with photosynthesis of HH plants threefold higher than LL plants at the same Gs. In all treatments except LL, Gs declined with foliar ABA accumulation. Foliar ABA sprays substantially decreased Gs of HH plants, but did not significantly affect LL plants. Thus low temperature compromised stomatal sensitivity to endogenous and exogenous ABA. Applying the ethylene antagonist 1 methyl-cyclopropene partially reverted excessive stomatal opening of LL plants. Thus, chilling-induced ethylene accumulation may mediate stomatal insensitivity to ABA, offering chemical opportunities for improving seedling survival in cold environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matias de Felipe
- IICAR, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-CONICET, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Shane A Rothwell
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Tom B Williams
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | | | - Alfonso Albacete
- Department of Plant Nutrition, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Lucas Borras
- IICAR, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-CONICET, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Ian C Dodd
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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3
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Houspanossian J, Giménez R, Whitworth-Hulse JI, Nosetto MD, Tych W, Atkinson PM, Rufino MC, Jobbágy EG. Agricultural expansion raises groundwater and increases flooding in the South American plains. Science 2023; 380:1344-1348. [PMID: 37384703 DOI: 10.1126/science.add5462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Regional effects of farming on hydrology are associated mostly with irrigation. In this work, we show how rainfed agriculture can also leave large-scale imprints. The extent and speed of farming expansion across the South American plains over the past four decades provide an unprecedented case of the effects of rainfed farming on hydrology. Remote sensing analysis shows that as annual crops replaced native vegetation and pastures, floods gradually doubled their coverage, increasing their sensitivity to precipitation. Groundwater shifted from deep (12 to 6 meters) to shallow (4 to 0 meters) states, reducing drawdown levels. Field studies and simulations suggest that declining rooting depths and evapotranspiration in croplands are the causes of this hydrological transformation. These findings show the escalating flooding risks associated with rainfed agriculture expansion at subcontinental and decadal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Houspanossian
- Grupo de Estudios Ambientales, CONICET, San Luis, Argentina
- Departamento de Geología, National University of San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Raul Giménez
- Grupo de Estudios Ambientales, CONICET, San Luis, Argentina
- Departamento de Geología, National University of San Luis, San Luis, Argentina
| | | | - Marcelo D Nosetto
- Grupo de Estudios Ambientales, CONICET, San Luis, Argentina
- Cátedra de Climatología Agrícola, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Wlodek Tych
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Peter M Atkinson
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Livestock Systems, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
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4
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Stetkiewicz S, Menary J, Nair A, Rufino MC, Fischer AR, Cornelissen M, Duchesne R, Guichaoua A, Jorasch P, Lemarié S, Nanda AK, Wilhelm R, Davies JA. Crop improvements for future‐proofing European food systems: A focus‐group‐driven analysis of agricultural production stakeholder priorities and viewpoints. Food Energy Secur 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/fes3.362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stacia Stetkiewicz
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
- Division of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences University of Nottingham Loughborough UK
| | - Jonathan Menary
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
- Health Systems Collaborative Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Abhishek Nair
- Marketing and Consumer Behaviour group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Arnout R.H. Fischer
- Marketing and Consumer Behaviour group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Remi Duchesne
- ACTAThe Agricultural Technical Institutes Paris France
| | | | | | - Stephane Lemarié
- Université Grenoble Alpes INRACNRSGrenoble INPGAEL Saint‐Martin‐d'Hères France
| | - Amrit K. Nanda
- ‘Plants for the Future’ European Technology Platform Brussels Belgium
| | - Ralf Wilhelm
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants Julius Kühn‐Institut Quedlinburg Germany
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5
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Hawkins JW, Komarek AM, Kihoro EM, Nicholson CF, Omore AO, Yesuf GU, Ericksen PJ, Schoneveld GC, Rufino MC. High-yield dairy cattle breeds improve farmer incomes, curtail greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dairy import dependency in Tanzania. Nat Food 2022; 3:957-967. [PMID: 37118219 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-022-00633-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Tanzania's dairy sector is poorly developed, creating reliance on imports for processed, value-added dairy products and threatening food security, particularly when supply chains are disrupted due to market volatility or armed conflicts. The Tanzanian Dairy Development Roadmap is a domestic development initiative that aims to achieve dairy self-sufficiency by 2030. Here, we model different outcomes of the roadmap, finding that adoption of high-yield cattle breeds is essential for reducing dairy import dependency. Avoided land use change resulting from fewer, higher yielding dairy cattle would lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Dairy producers' average incomes could increase despite capital expenditure and land allocation required for the adoption of high-yield breeds. Our findings demonstrate the importance of bottom-up development policies for sustainable food system transformations, which also support food sovereignty, increase incomes for smallholder farmers and contribute towards Tanzania's commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Hawkins
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Adam M Komarek
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Esther M Kihoro
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Charles F Nicholson
- Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Amos O Omore
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Gabriel U Yesuf
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Department of Geography & Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Polly J Ericksen
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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6
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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7
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Hawkins J, Yesuf G, Zijlstra M, Schoneveld GC, Rufino MC. Author Correction: Feeding efficiency gains can increase the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of the Tanzanian dairy sector. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9781. [PMID: 33941838 PMCID: PMC8093193 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89524-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Hawkins
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
| | - Gabriel Yesuf
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Mink Zijlstra
- Plant Production Systems, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
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8
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Stenfert Kroese J, Batista PVG, Jacobs SR, Breuer L, Quinton JN, Rufino MC. Agricultural land is the main source of stream sediments after conversion of an African montane forest. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14827. [PMID: 32908233 PMCID: PMC7481190 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71924-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In many parts of Africa, soil erosion is an important problem, which is evident from high sediment yields in tropical montane streams. Previous studies in Kenya pointed to a large contribution from catchments cultivated by smallholder farmers. This led to the hypothesis that unpaved tracks and gullies are the main sediment sources in smallholder agriculture catchments of the highlands of Kenya. The aim of this study was to investigate the sediment sources with sediment fingerprinting to generate the knowledge base to improve land management and to reduce sediment yields. Four main sediment sources (agricultural land, unpaved tracks, gullies and channel banks) and suspended sediments were analysed for biogeochemical elements as potential tracers. To apportion the catchments target sediment to different sources, we applied the MixSIAR un-mixing modelling under a Bayesian framework. Surprisingly, the fingerprinting analysis showed that agricultural land accounted for 75% (95% confidence interval 63-86%) of the total sediment. Channel banks contributed 21% (8-32%), while the smallest contributions to sediment were generated by the unpaved tracks and gullies with 3% (0-12%) and 1% (0-4%), respectively. Erosion management strategies should target agricultural lands with an emphasis on disconnecting unpaved tracks form hillslope source areas to reduce sediment yields to Lake Victoria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaqueline Stenfert Kroese
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England, UK. .,Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Pedro V G Batista
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Suzanne R Jacobs
- Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Lutz Breuer
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - John N Quinton
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England, UK
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England, UK.,Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya
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9
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Rufino MC. The value of animal-sourced foods. Nat Food 2020; 1:330-331. [PMID: 37128088 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-020-0101-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
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10
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Insausti M, Timmis R, Kinnersley R, Rufino MC. Advances in sensing ammonia from agricultural sources. Sci Total Environ 2020; 706:135124. [PMID: 31855649 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Reducing ammonia emissions is one of the most difficult challenges for environmental regulators around the world. About 90% of ammonia in the atmosphere comes from agricultural sources, so that improving farm practices in order to reduce these emissions is a priority. Airborne ammonia is the key precursor for particulate matter (PM2.5) that impairs human health, and ammonia can contribute to excess nitrogen that causes eutrophication in water and biodiversity loss in plant ecosystems. Reductions in excess nitrogen (N) from ammonia are needed so that farms use N resources more efficiently and avoid unnecessary costs. To support the adoption of ammonia emission mitigation practices, new sensor developments are required to identify sources, individual contributions, to evaluate the effectiveness of controls, to monitor progress towards emission-reduction targets, and to develop incentives for behavioural change. There is specifically a need for sensitive, selective, robust and user-friendly sensors to monitor ammonia from livestock production and fertiliser application. Most currently-available sensors need specialists to set up, calibrate and maintain them, which creates issues with staffing and costs when monitoring large areas or when there is a need for high frequency sampling. This paper reports advances in monitoring airborne ammonia in agricultural areas. Selecting the right method of monitoring for each agricultural activity will provide critical data to identify and implement appropriate ammonia controls. Recent developments in chemo-resistive materials allow electrochemical sensing at room temperature, and new spectroscopic methods are sensitive enough to determine low concentrations in the order of parts per billion. However, these new methods still compromise selectivity and sensitivity due to the presence of ambient dust and other interferences, and are not yet suitable to be applied in agricultural monitoring. This review considers how ammonia measurements are made and applied, including the need for sensors that are suitable for routine monitoring by non-specialists. The review evaluates how monitoring information can be used for policies and regulations to mitigate ammonia emissions. The increasing concerns about ammonia emissions and the particular needs from the agriculture sector are addressed, giving an overview of the state-of-the-art and an outlook on future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías Insausti
- INQUISUR (UNS-CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, B8000CPB, Argentina; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Roger Timmis
- Environment Agency, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - Rob Kinnersley
- Environment Agency, Evidence Directorate, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH, United Kingdom
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
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11
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Jacobs SR, Weeser B, Rufino MC, Breuer L. Diurnal Patterns in Solute Concentrations Measured with In Situ UV-Vis Sensors: Natural Fluctuations or Artefacts? Sensors (Basel) 2020; 20:s20030859. [PMID: 32041157 PMCID: PMC7039225 DOI: 10.3390/s20030859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In situ spectrophotometers measuring in the UV-visible spectrum are increasingly used to collect high-resolution data on stream water quality. This provides the opportunity to investigate short-term solute dynamics, including diurnal cycling. This study reports unusual changes in diurnal patterns observed when such sensors were deployed in four tropical headwater streams in Kenya. The analysis of a 5-year dataset revealed sensor-specific diurnal patterns in nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations and different patterns measured by different sensors when installed at the same site. To verify these patterns, a second mobile sensor was installed at three sites for more than 3 weeks. Agreement between the measurements performed by these sensors was higher for dissolved organic carbon (r > 0.98) than for nitrate (r = 0.43–0.81) at all sites. Higher concentrations and larger amplitudes generally led to higher agreement between patterns measured by the two sensors. However, changing the position or level of shading of the mobile sensor resulted in inconsistent changes in the patterns. The results of this study show that diurnal patterns measured with UV-Vis spectrophotometers should be interpreted with caution. Further work is required to understand how these measurements are influenced by environmental conditions and sensor-specific properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne R. Jacobs
- Center for international Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (B.W.); (L.B.)
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Björn Weeser
- Center for international Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (B.W.); (L.B.)
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Mariana C. Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK;
- Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), c/o World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Lutz Breuer
- Center for international Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (B.W.); (L.B.)
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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12
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Brandt P, Yesuf G, Herold M, Rufino MC. Intensification of dairy production can increase the GHG mitigation potential of the land use sector in East Africa. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:568-585. [PMID: 31617288 PMCID: PMC7027483 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) could face food shortages in the future because of its growing population. Agricultural expansion causes forest degradation in SSA through livestock grazing, reducing forest carbon (C) sinks and increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, intensification should produce more food while reducing pressure on forests. This study assessed the potential for the dairy sector in Kenya to contribute to low-emissions development by exploring three feeding scenarios. The analyses used empirical spatially explicit data, and a simulation model to quantify milk production, agricultural emissions and forest C loss due to grazing. The scenarios explored improvements in forage quality (Fo), feed conservation (Fe) and concentrate supplementation (Co): FoCo fed high-quality Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), FeCo supplemented maize silage and FoFeCo a combination of Napier, silage and concentrates. Land shortages and forest C loss due to grazing were quantified with land requirements and feed availability around forests. All scenarios increased milk yields by 44%-51%, FoCo reduced GHG emission intensity from 2.4 ± 0.1 to 1.6 ± 0.1 kg CO2 eq per kg milk, FeCo reduced it to 2.2 ± 0.1, whereas FoFeCo increased it to 2.7 ± 0.2 kg CO2 eq per kg milk because of land use change emissions. Closing the yield gap of maize by increasing N fertilizer use reduced emission intensities by 17% due to reduced emissions from conversion of grazing land. FoCo was the only scenario that mitigated agricultural and forest emissions by reducing emission intensity by 33% and overall emissions by 2.5% showing that intensification of dairy in a low-income country can increase milk yields without increasing emissions. There are, however, risks of C leakage if agricultural and forest policies are not aligned leading to loss of forest to produce concentrates. This approach will aid the assessment of the climate-smartness of livestock production practices at the national level in East Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patric Brandt
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)NairobiKenya
- Laboratory of Geo‐Information Science and Remote SensingWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Gabriel Yesuf
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
| | - Martin Herold
- Laboratory of Geo‐Information Science and Remote SensingWageningen University & ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Mariana C. Rufino
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)NairobiKenya
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
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13
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Njue N, Stenfert Kroese J, Gräf J, Jacobs SR, Weeser B, Breuer L, Rufino MC. Citizen science in hydrological monitoring and ecosystem services management: State of the art and future prospects. Sci Total Environ 2019; 693:133531. [PMID: 31635016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Hydrological monitoring is essential to guide evidence-based decision making necessary for sustainable water resource management and governance. Limited hydrometric datasets and the pressure on long-term hydrological monitoring networks make it paramount to explore alternative methods for data collection. This is particularly the case for low-income countries, where data scarcity is more pronounced, and where conventional monitoring methods are expensive and logistically challenging. Citizen science in hydrological research has recently gained popularity and crowdsourced monitoring is a promising cost-effective approach for data collection. Citizen science also has the potential to enhance knowledge co-creation and science-based evidence that underpins the governance and management of water resources. This paper provides a comprehensive review on citizen science and crowdsourced data collection within the context of hydrology, based on a synthesis of 71 articles from 2001 to 2018. Application of citizen science in hydrology is increasing in number and breadth, generating a plethora of scientific data. Citizen science approaches differ in scale, scope and degree of citizen involvement. Most of the programs are found in North America and Europe. Participation mostly comprises a contributory citizen science model, which engages citizens in data collection. In order to leverage the full potential of citizen science in knowledge co-generation, future citizen science projects in hydrology could benefit from more co-created types of projects that establish strong ties between research and public engagement, thereby enhancing the long-term sustainability of monitoring networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Njue
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya; University of Kabianga, Kericho, Kenya
| | - J Stenfert Kroese
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - J Gräf
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - S R Jacobs
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - B Weeser
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - L Breuer
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - M C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
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Leip A, Ledgard S, Uwizeye A, Palhares JCP, Aller MF, Amon B, Binder M, Cordovil CMDS, De Camillis C, Dong H, Fusi A, Helin J, Hörtenhuber S, Hristov AN, Koelsch R, Liu C, Masso C, Nkongolo NV, Patra AK, Redding MR, Rufino MC, Sakrabani R, Thoma G, Vertès F, Wang Y. The value of manure - Manure as co-product in life cycle assessment. J Environ Manage 2019; 241:293-304. [PMID: 31009817 PMCID: PMC6531380 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.03.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Livestock production is important for food security, nutrition, and landscape maintenance, but it is associated with several environmental impacts. To assess the risk and benefits arising from livestock production, transparent and robust indicators are required, such as those offered by life cycle assessment. A central question in such approaches is how environmental burden is allocated to livestock products and to manure that is re-used for agricultural production. To incentivize sustainable use of manure, it should be considered as a co-product as long as it is not disposed of, or wasted, or applied in excess of crop nutrient needs, in which case it should be treated as a waste. This paper proposes a theoretical approach to define nutrient requirements based on nutrient response curves to economic and physical optima and a pragmatic approach based on crop nutrient yield adjusted for nutrient losses to atmosphere and water. Allocation of environmental burden to manure and other livestock products is then based on the nutrient value from manure for crop production using the price of fertilizer nutrients. We illustrate and discuss the proposed method with two case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Leip
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, VA, Italy.
| | - Stewart Ledgard
- Farm Systems & Environment Group, AgResearch, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Aimable Uwizeye
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Animal Production and Health Division, Rome, Italy; Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 338, 6700 AH,, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Teagasc - Crops, Environment and Land Use Programme, Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Y35 Y521, Ireland
| | - Julio C P Palhares
- Environmental Impacts and Water Management in Livestock, Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Barbara Amon
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Germany and University of Zielona Góra, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Poland
| | | | | | - Camillo De Camillis
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Animal Production and Health Division, Rome, Italy
| | - Hongming Dong
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China; Key Laboratory of Energy Conservation and Waste Treatment of Agricultural Structures, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Alessandra Fusi
- The University of Manchester, School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, UK
| | - Janne Helin
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Unit of Bioeconomy and Environment, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | | | - Chunjiang Liu
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, PR China
| | - Cargele Masso
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nkolbisson, Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Nsalambi V Nkongolo
- ARC-Institute for Soil, Climate and Water, South Africa; Dept of Agriculture and Animal Health, UNISA, South Africa; IFA-Yangambi, Dem. Rep. Congo
| | - Amlan K Patra
- West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Department of Animal Nutrition, Kolkata, India
| | | | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster University, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK
| | - Ruben Sakrabani
- School of Water, Energy & Environment, Cranfield University, United Kingdom
| | - Greg Thoma
- Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, USA
| | | | - Ying Wang
- Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, USA
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15
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Weeser B, Stenfert Kroese J, Jacobs SR, Njue N, Kemboi Z, Ran A, Rufino MC, Breuer L. Citizen science pioneers in Kenya - A crowdsourced approach for hydrological monitoring. Sci Total Environ 2018; 631-632:1590-1599. [PMID: 29727983 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Although water is involved in many ecosystem services, the absence of monitoring data restricts the development of effective water management strategies especially in remote regions. Traditional monitoring networks can be expensive, with unaffordable costs in many low-income countries. Involving citizens in monitoring through crowdsourcing has the potential to reduce these costs but remains uncommon in hydrology. This study evaluates the quality and quantity of data generated by citizens in a remote Kenyan basin and assesses whether crowdsourcing is a suitable method to overcome data scarcity. We installed thirteen water level gauges equipped with signboards explaining the monitoring process to passers-by. Results were sent via a text-message-based data collection framework that included an immediate feedback to citizens. A public web interface was used to visualize the data. Within the first year, 124 citizens reported 1175 valid measurements. We identified thirteen citizens as active observers providing more than ten measurements, whereas 57% only sent one record. A comparison between the crowdsourced water level data and an automatic gauging station revealed high data quality. The results of this study indicate that citizens can provide water level data of sufficient quality and with high temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Weeser
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), c/o World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - J Stenfert Kroese
- Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), c/o World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - S R Jacobs
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), c/o World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (KIT/IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - N Njue
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), c/o World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Z Kemboi
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, International Water Stewardship Programme, Ngong Road, P.O. Box 19512, 00202 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - A Ran
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, International Water Stewardship Programme, Ngong Road, P.O. Box 19512, 00202 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - M C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - L Breuer
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Research Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition (IFZ), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany
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16
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Wanyama I, Pelster DE, Arias-Navarro C, Butterbach-Bahl K, Verchot LV, Rufino MC. Management intensity controls soil N 2O fluxes in an Afromontane ecosystem. Sci Total Environ 2018; 624:769-780. [PMID: 29272846 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Studies that quantify nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes from African tropical forests and adjacent managed land uses are scarce. The expansion of smallholder agriculture and commercial agriculture into the Mau forest, the largest montane forest in Kenya, has caused large-scale land use change over the last decades. We measured annual soil N2O fluxes between August 2015 and July 2016 from natural forests and compared them to the N2O fluxes from land either managed by smallholder farmers for grazing and tea production, or commercial tea and eucalyptus plantations (n=18). Air samples from 5 pooled static chambers were collected between 8:00am and 11:30am and used within each plot to calculate the gas flux rates. Annual soil N2O fluxes ranged between 0.2 and 2.9kgNha-1yr-1 at smallholder sites and 0.6-1.7kgNha-1yr-1 at the commercial agriculture sites, with no difference between land uses (p=0.98 and p=0.18, respectively). There was marked variation within land uses and, in particular, within those managed by smallholder farmers where management was also highly variable. Plots receiving fertilizer applications and those with high densities of livestock showed the highest N2O fluxes (1.6±0.3kgN2O-Nha-1yr-1, n=7) followed by natural forests (1.1±0.1kgN2O-Nha-1yr-1, n=6); although these were not significantly different (p=0.19). Significantly lower fluxes (0.5±0.1kgNha-1yr-1, p<0.01, n=5) were found on plots that received little or no inputs. Daily soil N2O flux rates were not correlated with concurrent measurements of water filled pore space (WFPS), soil temperature or inorganic nitrogen (IN) concentrations. However, IN intensity, a measure of exposure of soil microbes (in both time and magnitude) to IN concentrations was strongly correlated with annual soil N2O fluxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Wanyama
- Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - D E Pelster
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Science and Technology Branch, 2560 Hochelaga Boulevard, Quebec, Canada
| | - C Arias-Navarro
- Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya; Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - K Butterbach-Bahl
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya; Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - L V Verchot
- International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, Cali, Colombia
| | - M C Rufino
- Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom.
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17
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Jacobs SR, Breuer L, Butterbach-Bahl K, Pelster DE, Rufino MC. Land use affects total dissolved nitrogen and nitrate concentrations in tropical montane streams in Kenya. Sci Total Environ 2017; 603-604:519-532. [PMID: 28645050 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
African tropical montane forests are facing fast and dynamic changes in land use. However, the impacts of these changes on stream water quality are understudied. This paper aims at assessing the effect of land use and physical catchment characteristics on stream water concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), nitrate (NO3-N) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in the Mau Forest, the largest tropical montane forest in Kenya. We conducted five synoptic stream water sampling campaigns at the outlets of 13-16 catchments dominated by either natural forest, smallholder agriculture or commercial tea and tree plantations. Our data show a strong effect of land use on TDN and NO3-N, with highest concentrations in stream water of catchments dominated by tea plantations (1.80±0.50 and 1.62±0.60mgNl-1, respectively), and lowest values in forested catchments (0.55±0.15 and 0.30±0.08mgNl-1, respectively). NO3-N concentration increased with stream temperature and specific discharge, but decreased with increasing catchment area. DOC concentrations increased with catchment area and precipitation and decreased with specific discharge, drainage density and topographic wetness index. Precipitation and specific discharge were also strong predictors for DON concentrations, with an additional small positive effect of tree cover. In summary, land use affects TDN and NO3-N concentrations in stream water in the Mau Forest region in Kenya, while DOC and DON were more related to hydrologic regimes and catchment properties. The importance of land use for NO3-N and TDN concentrations emphasizes the risk of increased nitrogen export along hydrological pathways caused by intensified land use and conversion of land to agricultural uses, which might result in deterioration of drinking water quality and eutrophication in surface water in tropical Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne R Jacobs
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (KIT/IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), c/o World Agroforestry Centre, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, P.O. Box 30677, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Mazingira Centre, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Lutz Breuer
- Institute for Landscape Ecology and Resources Management (ILR), Justus Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; Centre for International Development and Environmental Research (ZEU), Justus Liebig University, Senckenbergstr. 3, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (KIT/IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Mazingira Centre, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - David E Pelster
- Mazingira Centre, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 30709, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom.
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18
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Wollenberg E, Richards M, Smith P, Havlík P, Obersteiner M, Tubiello FN, Herold M, Gerber P, Carter S, Reisinger A, van Vuuren DP, Dickie A, Neufeldt H, Sander BO, Wassmann R, Sommer R, Amonette JE, Falcucci A, Herrero M, Opio C, Roman-Cuesta RM, Stehfest E, Westhoek H, Ortiz-Monasterio I, Sapkota T, Rufino MC, Thornton PK, Verchot L, West PC, Soussana JF, Baedeker T, Sadler M, Vermeulen S, Campbell BM. Reducing emissions from agriculture to meet the 2 °C target. Glob Chang Biol 2016; 22:3859-3864. [PMID: 27185416 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
More than 100 countries pledged to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the 2015 Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Yet technical information about how much mitigation is needed in the sector vs. how much is feasible remains poor. We identify a preliminary global target for reducing emissions from agriculture of ~1 GtCO2 e yr-1 by 2030 to limit warming in 2100 to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. Yet plausible agricultural development pathways with mitigation cobenefits deliver only 21-40% of needed mitigation. The target indicates that more transformative technical and policy options will be needed, such as methane inhibitors and finance for new practices. A more comprehensive target for the 2 °C limit should be developed to include soil carbon and agriculture-related mitigation options. Excluding agricultural emissions from mitigation targets and plans will increase the cost of mitigation in other sectors or reduce the feasibility of meeting the 2 °C limit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Wollenberg
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Copenhagen, Denmark
- University of Vermont (UVM), Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Meryl Richards
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Copenhagen, Denmark
- University of Vermont (UVM), Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Pete Smith
- Scottish Food Security Alliance-Crops, Aberdeen, UK
- University of Aberdeen (U Aberdeen), Aberdeen, UK
| | - Petr Havlík
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Michael Obersteiner
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | | | - Martin Herold
- Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pierre Gerber
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy
- Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah Carter
- Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Reisinger
- New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC), Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Detlef P van Vuuren
- Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Amy Dickie
- California Environmental Associates (CEA), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Björn O Sander
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Philippines
| | - Reiner Wassmann
- International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Philippines
| | - Rolf Sommer
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
| | | | | | - Mario Herrero
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Carolyn Opio
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta
- Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Elke Stehfest
- Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Westhoek
- Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | | | - Tek Sapkota
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batán, Mexico
| | - Mariana C Rufino
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Philip K Thornton
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Louis Verchot
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul C West
- Institute on the Environment (IONE), University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sonja Vermeulen
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Copenhagen, Denmark
- University of Copenhagen (U Copenhagen), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bruce M Campbell
- CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Copenhagen, Denmark
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia
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19
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Pelster DE, Gisore B, Goopy J, Korir D, Koske JK, Rufino MC, Butterbach-Bahl K. Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Cattle Excreta on an East African Grassland. J Environ Qual 2016; 45:1531-1539. [PMID: 27695760 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2016.02.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission measurements from livestock excreta in Africa are limited. We measured CH and NO emissions from excreta of six Boran () and six Friesian () steers near Nairobi, Kenya. The steers were fed one of three diets (T1 [chaffed wheat straw], T2 [T1 + Meissner - 0.2% live weight per day], and T3 [T1 + calliandra - 0.4% live weight every 2 d]). The T1 diet is similar in quality to typical diets in the region. Calliandra is a leguminous fodder tree promoted as a feed supplement. Fresh feces and urine were applied to grasslands and emissions measured using static chambers. Cumulative 28-d fecal emissions were 302 ± 52.4 and 95 ± 13.8 mg CH-C kg dry matter for Friesen and Boran steers, respectively, and 11.5 ± 4.26 and 24.7 ± 8.32 mg NO-N kg dry matter for Friesian and Boran steers, respectively. For urine from Friesian steers, the NO emissions were 2.8 ± 0.64 mg NO-N 100 mL urine. The CH emission factors (EFs) (246 ± 49.5 and 87 ± 12.7 g CH-C yr animal for Friesan and Boran, respectively) were lower than the International Panel on Climate Change EFs (750 g CH-C animal yr), whereas the NO EFs (0.1 and 0.2% for the Friesian and Boran feces, respectively, and 1.2% for urine) were also lower than International Panel on Climate Change estimates. The low N content of the excreta likely caused the low emissions and indicates that current models probably overestimate CH and NO emissions from African livestock manure.
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20
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Herrero M, Havlík P, Valin H, Notenbaert A, Rufino MC, Thornton PK, Blümmel M, Weiss F, Grace D, Obersteiner M. Biomass use, production, feed efficiencies, and greenhouse gas emissions from global livestock systems. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:20888-93. [PMID: 24344273 PMCID: PMC3876224 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1308149110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 336] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a unique, biologically consistent, spatially disaggregated global livestock dataset containing information on biomass use, production, feed efficiency, excretion, and greenhouse gas emissions for 28 regions, 8 livestock production systems, 4 animal species (cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and poultry), and 3 livestock products (milk, meat, and eggs). The dataset contains over 50 new global maps containing high-resolution information for understanding the multiple roles (biophysical, economic, social) that livestock can play in different parts of the world. The dataset highlights: (i) feed efficiency as a key driver of productivity, resource use, and greenhouse gas emission intensities, with vast differences between production systems and animal products; (ii) the importance of grasslands as a global resource, supplying almost 50% of biomass for animals while continuing to be at the epicentre of land conversion processes; and (iii) the importance of mixed crop–livestock systems, producing the greater part of animal production (over 60%) in both the developed and the developing world. These data provide critical information for developing targeted, sustainable solutions for the livestock sector and its widely ranging contribution to the global food system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Herrero
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
- International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Petr Havlík
- International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria; and
| | - Hugo Valin
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria; and
| | - An Notenbaert
- International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Philip K. Thornton
- CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Michael Blümmel
- International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Franz Weiss
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria; and
| | - Delia Grace
- International Livestock Research Institute, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Michael Obersteiner
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria; and
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21
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Rosenstock TS, Diaz-Pines E, Zuazo P, Jordan G, Predotova M, Mutuo P, Abwanda S, Thiong'o M, Buerkert A, Rufino MC, Kiese R, Neufeldt H, Butterbach-Bahl K. Accuracy and precision of photoacoustic spectroscopy not guaranteed. Glob Chang Biol 2013; 19:3565-3567. [PMID: 23873752 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Todd S Rosenstock
- World Agroforestry Centre, PO Box 30677 United Nations Avenue, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
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