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Shahbaz P, ul Haq S, Abbas A, Samie A, Boz I, Bagadeem S, Yu Z, Li Z. Food, Energy, and Water Nexus at Household Level: Do Sustainable Household Consumption Practices Promote Cleaner Environment? Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:ijerph191912945. [PMID: 36232243 PMCID: PMC9566467 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Governments around the globe are trying to find sustainable solutions for lessening pressure on natural resources and reducing carbon emissions. Daily household consumption of food, energy, and water has an impact on stocks of natural resources, environmental quality, and climate change. Households have significant potential for increasing conservation actions for efficient use of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions. Households could contribute to a clean and healthy environment by adopting sustainable household practices through lower per capita consumption and carbon emissions. This study explored the role of different sustainable household consumption practices in promoting a clean environment as well as the factors affecting the adoption of these practices in Pakistan. Factor analysis and an ordered probit model were used to analyze the data from 1424 participants chosen through a multistage random sampling technique. The factor analysis identified 35 sustainable household practices for sustainable consumption. These 35 practices were grouped into the underlying factors of "Food" (14 items), "Energy" (12 items), and "Water" (9 items). The results from the econometric model showed a significant relationship between gender, education, residential area, family size, and income and the adoption of sustainable household consumption practices. Statistically, higher levels of reported sustainable consumption practices were apparent among females, households living in urban areas, more educated people, individuals of large family sizes, and more affluent households. Therefore, public policies for taking care of the environment need to put households at the center while at the same time promoting mass uptake of sustainable consumption practices related to food, energy, and water. In addition, the sector-specific policies also need to be augmented through focus on household-level consumption and production dynamics for achieving the UN's SDGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pomi Shahbaz
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun 55139, Turkey
| | - Shamsheer ul Haq
- Department of Economics, Division of Management and Administrative Science, University of Education, Lahore 54770, Pakistan
| | - Azhar Abbas
- Institute of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Abdus Samie
- Institute of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Ismet Boz
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun 55139, Turkey
| | - Salim Bagadeem
- Faculty of Business Administration, Arab Open University, Riyadh 11681, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ziyue Yu
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Architecture and Built Environment, The University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Abstract
Does the return of large carnivores affect voting behavior? We study this question through the lens of wolf attacks on livestock. Sustained environmental conservation has allowed the wolf (Canis lupus) to make an impressive and unforeseen comeback across Central Europe in recent years. While lauded by conservationists, local residents often see the wolf as a threat to economic livelihoods, particularly those of farmers. As populists appear to exploit such sentiments, the wolf's reemergence is a plausible source for far-right voting behavior. To test this hypothesis, we collect fine-grained spatial data on wolf attacks and construct a municipality-level panel in Germany. Using difference-in-differences models, we find that wolf attacks are accompanied by a significant rise in far-right voting behavior, while the Green party, if anything, suffers electoral losses. We buttress this finding using local-level survey data, which confirms a link between wolf attacks and negative sentiment toward environmental protection. To explore potential mechanisms, we analyze Twitter posts, election manifestos, and Facebook ads to show that far-right politicians frame the wolf as a threat to economic livelihoods.
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Abstract
Garden-based learning promotes environmental awareness, health, and wellness across the school community and beyond. In this article, we review the literature on the benefits of school gardening and describe firsthand experiences for garden success. By sharing lessons learned, our aim is to inspire school nurses to join forces with like-minded teachers and staff or take the lead to build capacity in their school for gardening and a green culture dedicated to the conservation of natural resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina K Alexander
- Associate Professor, Texas Christian University, Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Fort Worth, TX
| | - Donald R Grannum
- School Nurse, Prince George's County Public Schools, Surrattsville High School, Clinton, MD
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Barroso GM, Ferreira MG, Dos Santos EA, Ferreira EA, Titon M, Xavier PVS, Francino DMT, Santos JBD. Mabea fistulifera and Zeyheria tuberculosa can be indicated for phytoremediation programs of soils contaminated with hormonal herbicides. Int J Phytoremediation 2021; 24:987-994. [PMID: 34665679 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2021.1991267] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hormone-like herbicides, used for large crops, can contaminate non-target areas with their waste. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tolerance of Mabea fistulifera and Zeyheria tuberculosa to 2,4-D + picloram herbicides by means of morphological and anatomical evaluations. The experiment was performed in a greenhouse in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme. The first factor was the control (without herbicide) and three doses (0.166; 0.333, and 0.666 L ha-1) of the herbicide Tordon® (402 g L-1 2,4-D + 103.6 g L-1 picloram) and the second factor, the species Mabea fistulifera and Zeyheria tuberculosa. The number of M. fistulifera leaves was lower after treatment with the highest dose of the 2,4-D + picloram mixture. The herbicide rates did not influence the number of Z. tuberculosa leaves. The higher dose of 2,4-D + picloram caused a more than 50% reduction in leaf area. Toxicity increased linearly as a function of the doses of the 2,4-D + picloram mixture. Changes in the leaf anatomy of the two species treated with herbicides were observed; however, the roots did not show any changes. Mabea fistulifera and Zeyheria tuberculosa can be recommended for phytoremediation programs in areas contaminated by the herbicides 2,4-D + picloram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Madureira Barroso
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri-UFVJM, Diamantina, Brasil
| | - Mariana Generoso Ferreira
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri-UFVJM, Diamantina, Brasil
| | | | - Evander Alves Ferreira
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-UFMG, Montes Claros, Brasil
| | - Miranda Titon
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri-UFVJM, Diamantina, Brasil
| | - Pietra Vena Soares Xavier
- Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri-UFVJM, Diamantina, Brasil
| | | | - José Barbosa Dos Santos
- Departamento de Agronomia, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri-UFVJM, Diamantina, Brasil
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Abstract
In order to achieve the objectives of resource conservation, it is important to recognize that habitats are connected by material and energy flows, and that humans often play a central role, directly or indirectly. Hence, ecological research should be designed that treats all interlinked habitats, including human populations, as one ecosystem. Examples would be coastal habitats that are impacted by effluent from the upland, which in turn can be generated by deforestation and harmful agricultural practices. All of these aspects, including the river systems that deliver run-off, should be included in the investigation. This approach entails a carefully articulated hypothesis or set of hypotheses drawing on the natural as well as social sciences, and an appropriate sampling and statistical design. It clearly imposes high demands on resources, financial and otherwise. But the continued compartmentalization of efforts along disciplines and specializations will likely slow down progress in environmental conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen T Yap
- The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
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Furlan‐Murari PJ, Ruas CDF, Ruas EA, Benício LM, Urrea‐Rojas AM, Poveda‐Parra AR, Murari E, de Lima ECS, de Souza FP, Lopera‐Barrero NM. Structure and genetic variability of golden mussel ( Limnoperna fortunei) populations from Brazilian reservoirs. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2706-2714. [PMID: 30891210 PMCID: PMC6405496 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei a highly invasive species in Brazil, has generated productive, economical, and biological impacts. To evaluate genetic structure and variability of L. fortunei populations present in fish farms in the reservoirs of Canoas I (CANFF), Rosana (ROSFF), and Capivara (CAPFF) (Paranapanema River, Paraná, Brazil), eight microsatellite loci were amplified. Five of those eight loci resulted in 38 alleles. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) was lower than the expected heterozygosity (He) in all populations, with a deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The average value for the inbreeding coefficient (Fis) was positive and significative for all populations. There was higher genetic variability within populations than among them. The fixation index (Fst) showed a small genetic variability among these populations. The occurrence of gene flow was identified in all populations, along with the lack of a recent bottleneck effect. The clustering analysis yielded K = 2, with genetic similarity between the three populations. The results demonstrate low genetic structure and suggest a founding population with greater genetic variability (ROSFF). Our data point to the possible dispersal of L. fortunei aided by anthropic factors in the upstream direction. It was concluded that the three populations presented a unique genetic pool for Paranapanema River, with occurrence of gene flow.
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Itsukushima R, Yoshikawa H, Morita K. A dataset of molluscan fauna sampled in river estuaries of medium and small size river in Kyushu island, Japan. Biodivers Data J 2018:e26101. [PMID: 30034265 PMCID: PMC6052029 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.6.e26101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many studies have evaluated the ecological integrity of large-scale estuaries of continental rivers using biotic indicators such as fish, phytoplankton and benthic communities. However, few studies have focused on the river estuaries of small and medium rivers. Molluscan fauna data in large estuaries or in the estuaries of large rivers have been collected by the The National Census on River Environments (conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) or National Survey on the Natural Environment (conducted by the Ministry of Environment). On the other hand, molluscan fauna of small and medium rivers are managed by local governments and have rarely been investigated. New information This paper provides basic information on the molluscan fauna of 70 rivers in Kyushu, Japan, collected with the aim of conserving estuaries of small and medium rivers. In total, 37 families, 82 species and 21,827 individuals were collected. The data are all accessible from the document “A dataset of shellfish fauna sampled in estuaries of medium and small rivers in Kyushu, Japan (http://ipt.pensoft.net/resource.do?r=shellfishes_in_kyushu)”. According to the Red Data Book published by the Japanese Ministry of Environment in 2018, 3 species were determined as Critically endangered and Endangered, 6 species were determined as Vulnerable and 13 species were determined as Near Threatened. The proportions of individuals classified as Critically endangered and Endangered from the total number of individuals were extremely low, but the proportions of Near Threatened individuals were high. Our results indicate that the risk of molluscan extinction in small- and medium-sized river estuaries in Kyushu is high and that immediate conservation is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rei Itsukushima
- Department of Decision Science for a Sustainable Society, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Yoshikawa
- Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kai Morita
- Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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Januchowski-Hartley SR, Adams VM, Hermoso V. The need for spatially explicit quantification of benefits in invasive-species management. Conserv Biol 2018; 32:287-293. [PMID: 28940505 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, invasive species are a leading driver of environmental change across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments and cost billions of dollars annually in ecological damages and economic losses. Resources limit invasive-species control, and planning processes are needed to identify cost-effective solutions. Thus, studies are increasingly considering spatially variable natural and socioeconomic assets (e.g., species persistence, recreational fishing) when planning the allocation of actions for invasive-species management. There is a need to improve understanding of how such assets are considered in invasive-species management. We reviewed over 1600 studies focused on management of invasive species, including flora and fauna. Eighty-four of these studies were included in our final analysis because they focused on the prioritization of actions for invasive species management. Forty-five percent (n = 38) of these studies were based on spatial optimization methods, and 35% (n = 13) accounted for spatially variable assets. Across all 84 optimization studies considered, 27% (n = 23) explicitly accounted for spatially variable assets. Based on our findings, we further explored the potential costs and benefits to invasive species management when spatially variable assets are explicitly considered or not. To include spatially variable assets in decision-making processes that guide invasive-species management there is a need to quantify environmental responses to invasive species and to enhance understanding of potential impacts of invasive species on different natural or socioeconomic assets. We suggest these gaps could be filled by systematic reviews, quantifying invasive species impacts on native species at different periods, and broadening sources and enhancing sharing of knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie R Januchowski-Hartley
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174, Université Paul Sabatier, Bat. 4R1, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex 4, France
| | - Vanessa M Adams
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- Macquarie University Department of Biological Sciences, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Virgilio Hermoso
- Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Crta. Sant Llorenç de Morunys, Solsona, Lleida, Spain
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Kessels Road, 4111 Nathan, QLD, Australia
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Val AL, Fearnside PM, Almeida-Val VMF. Environmental disturbances and fishes in the Amazon. J Fish Biol 2016; 89:192-193. [PMID: 26864975 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A L Val
- Laboratory of Ecophysiology and Molecular Evolution, Brazilian National Institute for Research of the Amazon, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - P M Fearnside
- Laboratory of Agroecosystems, Brazilian National Institute for Research of the Amazon, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - V M F Almeida-Val
- Laboratory of Ecophysiology and Molecular Evolution, Brazilian National Institute for Research of the Amazon, Manaus, AM, Brazil
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Wangchuk P, Tobgay T. Contributions of medicinal plants to the Gross National Happiness and Biodiscovery in Bhutan. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2015; 11:48. [PMID: 26037080 PMCID: PMC4469394 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-015-0035-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The medicinal plants and the associated Bhutanese traditional medicine (BTM) are protected by the country's constitution and receive both government support and acceptance by the wider public. More than 1000 medicinal plants are described in the BTM but currently collects only 300 species for daily formulations of BTM. These medicinal plants have been one of the drivers of the 'Gross National Happiness (GNH)' and biodiscovery projects in Bhutan. However, no review covering the systematic evaluations of the contributions of medicinal plants and the BTM to the GNH and biodiscovery exist till date. METHODS This paper, therefore addresses this information gap. It is based on the review of the existing traditional and scientific literature, government websites and policy documents. The descriptions and discussions of the paper is straightened, authenticated and enhanced by the data collected through the informal discussions with the BTM practitioners and also through the authors' many years of practical observations of the impact of the medicinal plants programs and the BTM practices in Bhutan. RESULTS This paper found the following: a) the medicinal plants generates income to the farmers elevating their living standard and the economic status, b) it serves as the bulk ingredients of the BTM facilitating the provision of free traditional health care services to the patients, c) helps the conservation of medicinal plants and their pristine environment through recognition of their spiritual, social and economic values, d) preserves the rich BTM cultural heritage, and e) guides the biodiscovery projects based on their ethnobotanical information. The paper also identified the challenges and research gaps, and recommends appropriate strategies that can help secure the sustainable future of the medicinal plants, the BTM and the biodiscovery projects. CONCLUSIONS The medicinal plants play significant role in the country's biodiscovery projects and the internationally renowned development policy of 'Gross National Happiness'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phurpa Wangchuk
- Manjong Sorig Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan.
- Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, QLD, 4870, Australia.
| | - Tashi Tobgay
- Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan.
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