Environment and Natural Resources Research最新文献

{"title":"Generation of Synthetic Daily Weather for Climate Change Scenarios and Extreme Storm Intensification","authors":"J. Garbrecht, X. Zhang, David Brown, P. Busteed","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V9N2P1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V9N2P1","url":null,"abstract":"Long-term simulations in watershed hydrology, soil and nutrient transport, and sustainability of agricultural production systems require long-term weather records that are often not available at the location of interest. Generation of synthetic daily weather data is a common approach to augment limited weather observations. Here a synthetic daily weather generation model (called SYNTOR) is described. SYNTOR fulfills the traditional role of generating alternative weather realizations that have statistical properties similar to those of the parent historical weather it is intended to simulate. In addition, it has the capability to simulate daily weather records for climate change scenarios and storm intensification due to climate change. The various model components are briefly summarized and an application is presented for semi-arid climate conditions in west-central Oklahoma. SYNTOR generated daily weather compared well with observed weather values. Climate change is simulated by adjusting weather generation parameters to reflect the changed mean monthly weather values of climate projections. Storm intensification is approximated by increasing the top 10 percentile of storm distribution by a predefined amount based on previous studies of trends in United States precipitation. Further evaluation of published storm intensification values and associated uncertainties and spatial variability is recommended.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81557197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reviewer Acknowledgements for Environment and Natural Resources Research, Vol. 9, No. 1","authors":"Emily S. Lin","doi":"10.5539/enrr.v9n1p91","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/enrr.v9n1p91","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewer Acknowledgements for Environment and Natural Resources Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2019","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"27 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91484903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empowerment of Palm Sugar Peasants at the Forest Edge of Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, Indonesia: A Study of Problems, Local Potentials, and Priority Ideas Towards Empowered Community","authors":"Muhammad Obie, Indra Dewi Sery Yusuf, S. Sumai","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P77","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P77","url":null,"abstract":"This study analyzed the roots of problem of palm sugar peasants at the forest edge of Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park; local potentials in producing palm sugar as a livelihood base; and their priority ideas to create empowered communities. Data collection was done through observation, in-depth interviews, Focused Group Discussion, and literature. The results showed that there were many problems faced by peasants in producing palm sugar, namely the forest where they took firewood was taken over by the national park; discourse on resettlement following the construction of a reservoir; damaged road infrastructure; did not have adequate means of producing palm sugar; uneven government assistance; and marketing of palm sugar through middlemen. In addition to the existing problems, it turns out that there were a number of local potentials that peasants had in developing palm sugar production, namely palm trees growed naturally; palm gardens owned by the peasants themselves; every peasant had sufficient knowledge how to produce palm sugar; palm sugar production was a tradition from generation to generation; solidarity ties were still very strong; the existence of village-owned enterprises; and the concern of the village government to palm sugar peasants. Palm sugar peasants had a number of priority ideas to create an empowered community, namely asking the government to revoke the status of the national park area that took over the forest where peasants take firewood; stopped or moved the reservoir construction plan; road infrastructure improvements; assistance with facilities and infrastructure for producing palm sugar; assistance allocated by the government to prioritize poorer people who had never received before; and standardization of palm sugar prices.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91279913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vigilance Behaviour of Wild Herbivores when Foraging With or Without Livestock","authors":"Angelamercy Baltazary, E. Røskaft, A. Treydte","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P64","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P64","url":null,"abstract":"In African savannas, and many other rangelands around the world, wildlife presently find themselves interacting with livestock. Many studies have been conducted on vigilance behaviour in response to presence of predators on foraging grounds, but few scientists have included the presence of livestock and how this affects vigilance when foraging together with wild herbivores. As Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is an important example of wildlife grazing together with livestock, this phenomenon must be understood to achieve a sustainable land use management plan, particularly in Ngorongoro Conservation Area and in other protected areas. Behavioral observations of wildlife and livestock species were conducted from a vehicle driving along transects within NCA. Once a group was sighted the vehicle was stopped and sighting information recorded. Four species of wild herbivores including plains zebra (Equus burchelli), Thomson’s gazelle (Gazella thomsonii), Grant’s gazelle (Gazella granti) and Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) were studied together with the following livestock species including cattle (Bos taurus), goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and sheep (Ovis aries), in different seasons. 158 groups were recorded. In dry season 47 non –mixed groups (without livestock) and 30 mixed groups (with livestock) were recorded, while, during wet season 49 non -mixed groups and 32 mixed groups were recorded. Behavior was classified as feeding, grooming, laying down, ruminating, grooming, moving, and looking with head up (vigilance) with the use of the focal animal sampling method. Wildlife decreased their foraging time while they increased vigilance behavior when livestock were present; however, more studies are still for a wider conclusion.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76489727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Household Reliance on Environmental Income in the Western Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania","authors":"Moses Titus Kyando, J. Nyahongo, E. Røskaft, M. Nielsen","doi":"10.5539/enrr.v9n1p54","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/enrr.v9n1p54","url":null,"abstract":"Pressures on protected areas (PAs) in Tanzania are increasing through the extractive use by surrounding communities. Understanding how environmental reliance varies in relation to distance from PAs and in relation to household’s socio-economic characteristics is important for PAs management and decision of poverty alleviation strategies. This study therefore aimed to quantifying the reliance on cash environmental income as a share in total household income over a gradient of distance from PA boundaries in Western Serengeti and evaluates how it is influenced by socio-economic characteristics. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire of 150 households, randomly selected in three villages. Results indicate that environmental cash-income varies from 21.3% to 45.2% of the total annual cash-income, representing on average 37.8% of the total annual cash-income of all households surveyed. Households closest to the boundary of Serengeti National Park (SNP) are relatively more reliant on environmental income than those located relatively far. Environmental cash-income reliance is associated with household socio-economic factors including distance from SNP boundary, household wealth rank and absolute income from off-farm activities. The main sources of environmental cash-income are fuel-wood, construction materials and wild foods. Reducing environmental reliance requires promotion of off-farm activities, improved wood fuel stoves electricity and alternative sources of fuels.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83125957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing Aquifer Stress Index (ASI) Using Rating Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process for a Coastal Unconfined Aquifer","authors":"N. Somaratne","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P35","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P35","url":null,"abstract":"Small groundwater basins are highly vulnerable to over draft and susceptible to droughts as they are locally recharged. The sustainable development and management of groundwater basins therefore benefits from quantitative assessment of the basin status in terms of the current stress level. This paper introduces the Aquifer Stress Index (ASI) using a rating method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a widely used multi-criteria decision support technique. Six evaluation criteria were used to determine the ASI; water levels, water quality, groundwater pumping, saline water intrusion, recharge and land use threat. For each criterion, a rating score and weight are used to evaluate the stress level. Rating scores for criteria were assigned based on multiple datasets obtained from the field investigations. Weightings for criteria were determined by pairwise comparison of AHP process. Based on the ASI, five characteristic stress regimes of the aquifers are defined: no stress, low stress, moderate stress, high stress and extreme stress. The stress level indicates the extent of groundwater availability and current development impact on the aquifer integrity. The method was applied in detail to Uley South coastal aquifer, and results indicate that the overall stress level of the aquifer is moderate. This research indicates that declining water levels are the major cause of Uley South basin’s aquifer stress, due to ongoing extractions and reduced long-term recharge. Depending on the aquifer stress level, management plans can be developed for sustainable use of the aquifer to help ensure current and future water security.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80184114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"WWF’s Green Business Model in Protected Area Conservation and Livelihoods Sustenance in Cameroon: The Need for a Shift in Approach?","authors":"J. N. Kimengsi, J. Pretzsch, E. Auch, Balgah Roland Azibo","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P9","url":null,"abstract":"Rising interests to support green development through targeted conservation approaches in the developing world attracted international NGO attention especially in the 1990s. One of such NGOs, the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been backstopping many African nations in the process of realizing the twin objectives of livelihood sustenance and protected area conservation. In the case of Cameroon, one of her key areas of intervention has been the introduction of green business initiatives as a way of strengthening the link between livelihood support and conservation in protected areas. With a focus on Cameroon, we review the green business model (Note 1) as a WWF intervention approach in Africa. We undertake a random survey of household representatives drawn from 7 WWF conservation cooperatives in Cameroon on their perceptions and preferences with regards to the green business initiative. This was complemented by interviews to 8 WWF and partner CSO representatives, and field observations. The results are discussed to include a schema of the green business approach in Africa with a focus on Cameroon, cooperative members’ knowledge levels of the initiative, impact of the initiative and clarity of benefit sharing schemes in place, among others. The pairwise correlation shows a strong positive relationship between knowledge/experience levels and a number of elements including shortcomings of the initiative, the need for strategy improvement, and the tendency for outside influence on the green business choices. This aspect equally showed a strong positive correlation with the need to switch to other green business options and unclear benefit sharing. In conclusion, we argue for a shift in the green business approach to capture issues of improvement in knowledge levels, diversification, technical and institutional capacity building, clarity of benefit sharing, and value chain development. We further advocate for a green business approach in tandem with the aspirations of local populations around protected areas on the one hand, and the need for a conservation cooperative alliance on the other hand. The results contribute to the “green economy” discourse which has significantly gained grounds in all spheres of conservation and development interventions.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80670590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geochemical Assessment of Trace Metals in Peri-Urban Drainage and Bioaccumulation in Selected Food Crops in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana","authors":"G. Foli, S. Gawu, B. A. Brako, P. Nude","doi":"10.5539/enrr.v9n1p25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/enrr.v9n1p25","url":null,"abstract":"This paper evaluates some geochemical properties of trace metals in peri-urban drainage and bioaccumulation in cassava, plantain, lettuce and sugarcane in the Kumasi metropolis in Ghana, West Africa. The aim is to establish water quality and food safety. Water, sediment and the food crops were sampled along the profiles of Wiwi and Subin rivers for analysis. T-test statistic shows that pH, HCO3, Cl, Cu, As, Pb and Ni are significant in water and sediment. Mean concentrations of Cu, As, Pb and Ni in water and sediment are (0.01mg/l; 3.2mg/kg), (3.08mg/l; 4.9mg/kg), (0.034mg/l; 8.7mg/kg) and (0.021mg/l; 6.1mg/kg), respectively. In water, As, Pb and Ni concentrations are above primary maximum contamination limits of 0.05 mg/l, 0.015 mg/l and 0.020mg/l with metal ratios of 61.54, 2.27 and 1.05, respectively. In sediment, As concentration is above the continental crustal background value of 1.8mg/kg with a metal ratio of 2.72. From geochemical process models: (1) As and Ni adsorbs into sediment and may lead to attenuation in water in closed systems; (2) Cu and Pd are in equilibrium and may affect water quality at higher concentrations. The food crops have trace metals concentrations below reference values and bioaccumulation factors<1. The food crops are therefore excluders, and safe for dietary intake. Members in cassava-plantain-lettuce and cassava-lettuce-sugarcane suites have translocation factors (TFs)>1 for Cu and As, respectively, while lettuce has TF>1 for Pd and Ni. Crops with TF>1 may bioaccumulate the respective trace metals in over a prolonged period.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73265151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extreme Climate Events and Fish Production in Bangladesh","authors":"J. Biswas, M. Maniruzzaman, M. Haque, M. Hossain, Mushfika Rahman, U. A. Naher, M. H. Ali, W. Kabir","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V9N1P1","url":null,"abstract":"Natural hazards frequently batter Bangladesh and cause damages to fisheries sector of the country. The main objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the effects of storm/tidal surge, waterlogging, cyclone, flood, drought and erosion on spatial distribution of damages and economic loss in fisheries of Bangladesh. Data were collected from existing literatures followed by scoring and attribute-wise maps were prepared using IDRISI3.2. The highest economic loss (US$ 17.65 million) in fishery sector was observed in Southern part and the least in hilly regions. The damages caused by natural hazards followed the order of storm/tidal surge > waterlogging > cyclone > flood > drought > erosion. About 21% areas of South and South-east Bangladesh were affected by high to very high storm/tidal surge. Very severe waterlogging problems were observed in 6.96% areas of the country. Moderate to high damages because of cyclone were found in about 11% areas in South and South-east Bangladesh. Moderate to high flooding problems were mostly prevalent in Central and North-east part of the country covering 15-19 per cent areas. Drought and erosion are less damaging to fishery sector compared to other studied natural hazards. Although exposure index to natural hazards is high, relative index to national economy because of damages to fisheries sector are low. Adaptive measures in coastal areas as a long-term strategy would be participatory construction of hard structures and reclamation/conservation of wetlands throughout the country including improved warning system could be undertaken for minimizing damages in fisheries sector of Bangladesh.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83575257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extreme Temperature Events and Rice Production in Bangladesh","authors":"M. Maniruzzaman, J. Biswas, M. Hossain, M. Haque, U. A. Naher, N. Kalra","doi":"10.5539/ENRR.V8N4P62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5539/ENRR.V8N4P62","url":null,"abstract":"The extreme climatic events are increasing because of climate change impacts and thus likely to influence global agricultural production. Regional assessments on various abiotic factors and its influences on biological entities in diverse geographic locations are needed for understanding uncertainties. Rice grain yields and daily temperature data from 1971–2015 were used to quantify extreme temperature events in different regions of Bangladesh and their impacts on rice yields growing in three seasons of Bangladesh. The regional averaged trends in temperature extremes were consistent with global warming. The occurrence summer days (SU), tropical nights (TR), warm days (TX90), and nights (TN90) and a warm spell duration indicator (WSDI) increased by 0.388 (P0.00001), 0.103 (P0.19), 0.520 (P0.00000), 0.269 (P0.0004), 0.147 (P0.0001), days yr-1, respectively. The frequencies of cold days (TX10) and nights (TN10), and cold spell duration indicator (CSDI) showed decreasing trends of −0.143 (P0.0006), −0.254 (P0.001), and −0.04 (P0.227) day yr-1, respectively. Sharp increases of TR and TN90 indices took place in 1985–2000. Principal component analysis showed that SU, TX90, TN90, WSDI, TX10, TN10 and diurnal temperature range (DTR) were the main influencing factors for seasonal variations in rice yield. Warm and cold nights played a vital role in reducing rice yields. It can be concluded that extreme temperature events will be increased in Bangladesh and thus necessitating heat and cold tolerant rice varieties with appropriate management options for sustained future rice production in Bangladesh.","PeriodicalId":11699,"journal":{"name":"Environment and Natural Resources Research","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73604874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}