Taihu Lake area is one of the most developed areas in agricultural production. Application of fertilizers and pesticides in large quantities greatly aggravate environmental pollution of this area, and water pollution ...Taihu Lake area is one of the most developed areas in agricultural production. Application of fertilizers and pesticides in large quantities greatly aggravate environmental pollution of this area, and water pollution has worsened to an unbearable condition. Two sampling farms (respectively 1 hm2) under rape-rice rotation and wheat-rice rotation were selected as studied ecosystem and a 5-yr-old Poplar forest and 8-yr-old Metasequoia forest were chosen in the selected areas. By collecting samples of Nitrogen, Phosphorus in water, crops and underground of forest, the transfer and loss of N and P (main water pollutants) in faming ecosystem were studied, and the effects of forest belts on non-point source pollution of agricultural lands was analyzed. The results indicated that the transfer and loss of N and P vary with means of rotation, types of crops and the amount of fertilizer application. Buffering forest belts betweens farmlands and ditches can effectively stop and purify such elements as N and P in soil runoffs, thus controlling non-point source pollution of agricultural lands. When the width ratio of farmland to forest belt is 100 to 40, 50.05% losing N, 29.37% losing P can be absorbed by forest under rape-rice rotation and 30.98% N, 86.73% P can be absorbed by forest under wheat-rice rotation. When the width ratio of farmland to forest belt is 150 to 40, 33.37% losing N, 19.58% losing P can be absorbed by the forest under rape-rice rotation, and under wheat-rice rotation 20.65% lost N and 57.82% lost P can be absorbed. There is only some purification effect when the width ration of farmland to forest belt is 200 to 40. Based on model of buffering forest belts, the width ratio of farmland to forest is determined between 100 to 40 and 150 to 40, because it not only can purify water, but also occupy less farmland. It is suggested that Poplars, with the characteristics of fast-growing and high value, are suitable to be planted as shelter-forest in Taihu Lake Watershed.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to research impacts of agricultural non-point pol- lution on water-source region in Songhua Dam, laying foundation for control of water pollution and scientific protection of water-source regio...[Objective] The aim was to research impacts of agricultural non-point pol- lution on water-source region in Songhua Dam, laying foundation for control of water pollution and scientific protection of water-source region. [Method] Water in Muyang River, lengshui River and Zizania aquatica region were sampled to measure content of pollutants in water and conclude relation between water contamination and agri- cultural non-point pollution to find the major cause of pollution. [Result] Organic pollu- tant in Muyang River was higher; N and P contents in Lengshui River were higher; the measured indices in Zizania aquatica region excessively exceeded related stan- dard. [Conclusion] The chemical fertilizers and pesticides are the toxic materials lead- ing to water contamination and constitute a major cause of pollution in Songhua Dam water-source region. Agricultural non-point pollution should be controlled in a scientific way.展开更多
Water scarcity is a major problem for Namibia and South Africa as both countries are classified as ＂water stressed＂, based on their per capita water availability which is below the threshold of 1,000-1,666 ma-person...Water scarcity is a major problem for Namibia and South Africa as both countries are classified as ＂water stressed＂, based on their per capita water availability which is below the threshold of 1,000-1,666 ma-person^-1.year^-1. Water provision in both countries has traditionally relied on supply-side sources, and the potential for expansion is becoming dim, making efforts towards demand management approaches more feasible. Findings show that CBM （community based management） systems of water points offer an alternative in terms of ownership and self-reliance based on institutional arrangements at community level. However, the CBM system involves some forms of payment for water access, and affordability has become a main challenge, to the extent that some governments are considering the reintroduction of water subsidies for poor rural communities in the near future.展开更多
The peri-urbanization area as a kind of rural-urban interface is changing rapidly ,physical, economlc and social terms. The land use pattern in such area is shifting away from the assumptions of mainstream paradigms t...The peri-urbanization area as a kind of rural-urban interface is changing rapidly ,physical, economlc and social terms. The land use pattern in such area is shifting away from the assumptions of mainstream paradigms to new conceptual landscapes, which leads to a series of problems on economic development and social stabilization. There are many researches on non-agricultural land-use in peri-urbanization area. In this paper both international and domestic research literature is reviewed by dividing six parts. The first part introduces the conception of peri-ur-banization area and its driver factors. Then in the second and the third part, the paper expatiates on the progress in the non-agricultural land-use in peri-urban area on land-use problems in the research area, while the fifth part reviews the integrating ways of non-agricultrual land-use. Finally, recommendations for further study are draw with specific reference to the current and future position of non-agricultural land-use study in peri-urban area.展开更多
In developing countries, the emigration from rural territories to urban areas has brought about some negative impacts strictly associated to a lack of services a drop of ecological sustainability and environment prote...In developing countries, the emigration from rural territories to urban areas has brought about some negative impacts strictly associated to a lack of services a drop of ecological sustainability and environment protection with the consequence to worsen the marginalization of these territories. In the world, more than 50% of poverty is located in rural areas and the most incidence of it is in Sub-Saharan African countries; in Latin American nations, instead, the most percentage of poverty is located in urban areas. The aim of this research was to estimate, by a multiple regression model, in 46 countries of Africa and in 23 nations of Souther-Central America, which socio-economic variables were able to play a fundamental role on the rural population and on the development of rural areas in 2000 and 2010 using some statistical data published in the FAO Statistic book. In analysed African countries there has been an increase of people living in the rural space and a growth by 21% of agricultural Gross Domestic Product （GDP）. In Southern and Central American nations, there has been a meaningful emigration from rural territories due to an expansion of commercial flows and per capita income in rich areas, thus people have decided to move from the rural territories to the urban territories, worsening the poverty and living conditions in the countryside.展开更多
The objective of this study was to compare effects of natal plum fruits （Carissa grandiflora） on hemoglobin （HB） levels in comparison to ferrous sulfate tablets to 201 anemic children aging from 5 to 12 years in r...The objective of this study was to compare effects of natal plum fruits （Carissa grandiflora） on hemoglobin （HB） levels in comparison to ferrous sulfate tablets to 201 anemic children aging from 5 to 12 years in rural area in Somalia. The study was designed as randomized clinical intervention to explore the potentials of natal plum to combat against IDA （iron deficiency anemia）/anemia using mean HB gains as a parameter. The research was carried out in rural setting near Somalia capital where local NGOs （non governmental organizations） work in the absence of local/central authorities. Only HB levels of the subject children were measured as other confirmatory analyses were not available due to the civil wars at the time of the intervention. The baseline HB levels of both groups were similar. However, after the intervention the cumulative HB levels of the natal fruits group was higher than the control group of ferrous sulfate by at least 31% （P 〈 0.008, equal variances not assumed）. Dietary interventions to mitigate IDA/anemia using locally available foods rich in iron, vitamins C and A seem to promise in the developing countries where chronic inadequate resources seem to affect the public health nutrition especially vulnerable groups like growing children.展开更多
Energy and environmental sustainability are important considerations for increased rice production. This study examined the energy utilization and sustainability of rice processing in sub-Saharan Africa. The community...Energy and environmental sustainability are important considerations for increased rice production. This study examined the energy utilization and sustainability of rice processing in sub-Saharan Africa. The community of Gadan Loko village in the song local government of Adamawa State, Nigeria was selected as the focus of study. Rice parboiling, the most energy intensive process in rice processing is carried out usually by women in small quantities of about 13.2 kg using traditional pots on tripod support stoves. The parboiled rice is sun dried on mats before it is taken to the milling stalls where it is milled using milling machines driven by single cylinder diesel engines. There were large variations in the quality of milled rice due to lack of consistency in processing parameters. Accumulation of rice husk in the community created important environmental issues. In this study, methods of improving sustainability of rice processing were investigated. The areas included： the utilization of waste heat from the diesel engines for improved drying and efficient pre-soaking; the utilization of solar energy for pre-soaking; the utilization of rice husks as alternative fuel to firewood; and the optimization and redesign of the stoves and parboiling vessels to minimize heat loss to the environment. The results showed that the utilization of rice husk as alternative fuel and the redesign of the stoves and parboiling vessels will increase the sustainability of rice processing and can be easily adopted by the community. While solar energy pre-soaking was not economical and the utilization of waste heat from the diesel engines for drying and pre-soaking would be difficult to implement at the rural scale, because most of the parboiling is done far away from the milling stalls. The study showed that research, development of appropriate technology, and education （RATE） of the rural community is an important way of increasing sustainability.展开更多
Based on rural household survey data in Taipusi County in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, this article analyzes agricultural land use intensity and its determinants. The results reveal marked differences of agricult...Based on rural household survey data in Taipusi County in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, this article analyzes agricultural land use intensity and its determinants. The results reveal marked differences of agricultural land use intensity among households with different ages of householders, proportion of non-farm participants, total agricultural land area, land fragmentation and land utilization capacity. （i） Households with older householders and households with a smaller proportion of non-farming laborers generally spend more time on managing their land and invest less capital and materials than other households. The proportion of non-farming laborers within younger households is relatively high, and they tend to invest more capital and materials because the income derived from non-farm employment relaxes their financial constraints. （ii） Land fragmentation is an important determinant of land use intensity. Households with a bigger land size per plot usually spend less time and invest more capital and materials on their land; （iii） Land with better quality is usually managed intensively. The results suggest that labor has become an important constraint for local agricultural production, and there is the potential to improve land management scale and increase machinery input to substitute for labor. Furthermore, the effects of non-farm employment on land use intensity indicate that the establishment of a coordination mechanism between non-farm employment and agricultural land use is an important way to solve the conflict between ecological security and agricultural production in ecologically-vulnerable areas.展开更多
基金This paper was supported by the Environmental Protection Foundation of Jiangsu Province (2000(二) 0009) National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC39970605).
文摘Taihu Lake area is one of the most developed areas in agricultural production. Application of fertilizers and pesticides in large quantities greatly aggravate environmental pollution of this area, and water pollution has worsened to an unbearable condition. Two sampling farms (respectively 1 hm2) under rape-rice rotation and wheat-rice rotation were selected as studied ecosystem and a 5-yr-old Poplar forest and 8-yr-old Metasequoia forest were chosen in the selected areas. By collecting samples of Nitrogen, Phosphorus in water, crops and underground of forest, the transfer and loss of N and P (main water pollutants) in faming ecosystem were studied, and the effects of forest belts on non-point source pollution of agricultural lands was analyzed. The results indicated that the transfer and loss of N and P vary with means of rotation, types of crops and the amount of fertilizer application. Buffering forest belts betweens farmlands and ditches can effectively stop and purify such elements as N and P in soil runoffs, thus controlling non-point source pollution of agricultural lands. When the width ratio of farmland to forest belt is 100 to 40, 50.05% losing N, 29.37% losing P can be absorbed by forest under rape-rice rotation and 30.98% N, 86.73% P can be absorbed by forest under wheat-rice rotation. When the width ratio of farmland to forest belt is 150 to 40, 33.37% losing N, 19.58% losing P can be absorbed by the forest under rape-rice rotation, and under wheat-rice rotation 20.65% lost N and 57.82% lost P can be absorbed. There is only some purification effect when the width ration of farmland to forest belt is 200 to 40. Based on model of buffering forest belts, the width ratio of farmland to forest is determined between 100 to 40 and 150 to 40, because it not only can purify water, but also occupy less farmland. It is suggested that Poplars, with the characteristics of fast-growing and high value, are suitable to be planted as shelter-forest in Taihu Lake Watershed.
文摘[Objective] The aim was to research impacts of agricultural non-point pol- lution on water-source region in Songhua Dam, laying foundation for control of water pollution and scientific protection of water-source region. [Method] Water in Muyang River, lengshui River and Zizania aquatica region were sampled to measure content of pollutants in water and conclude relation between water contamination and agri- cultural non-point pollution to find the major cause of pollution. [Result] Organic pollu- tant in Muyang River was higher; N and P contents in Lengshui River were higher; the measured indices in Zizania aquatica region excessively exceeded related stan- dard. [Conclusion] The chemical fertilizers and pesticides are the toxic materials lead- ing to water contamination and constitute a major cause of pollution in Songhua Dam water-source region. Agricultural non-point pollution should be controlled in a scientific way.
文摘Water scarcity is a major problem for Namibia and South Africa as both countries are classified as ＂water stressed＂, based on their per capita water availability which is below the threshold of 1,000-1,666 ma-person^-1.year^-1. Water provision in both countries has traditionally relied on supply-side sources, and the potential for expansion is becoming dim, making efforts towards demand management approaches more feasible. Findings show that CBM （community based management） systems of water points offer an alternative in terms of ownership and self-reliance based on institutional arrangements at community level. However, the CBM system involves some forms of payment for water access, and affordability has become a main challenge, to the extent that some governments are considering the reintroduction of water subsidies for poor rural communities in the near future.
文摘The peri-urbanization area as a kind of rural-urban interface is changing rapidly ,physical, economlc and social terms. The land use pattern in such area is shifting away from the assumptions of mainstream paradigms to new conceptual landscapes, which leads to a series of problems on economic development and social stabilization. There are many researches on non-agricultural land-use in peri-urbanization area. In this paper both international and domestic research literature is reviewed by dividing six parts. The first part introduces the conception of peri-ur-banization area and its driver factors. Then in the second and the third part, the paper expatiates on the progress in the non-agricultural land-use in peri-urban area on land-use problems in the research area, while the fifth part reviews the integrating ways of non-agricultrual land-use. Finally, recommendations for further study are draw with specific reference to the current and future position of non-agricultural land-use study in peri-urban area.
文摘In developing countries, the emigration from rural territories to urban areas has brought about some negative impacts strictly associated to a lack of services a drop of ecological sustainability and environment protection with the consequence to worsen the marginalization of these territories. In the world, more than 50% of poverty is located in rural areas and the most incidence of it is in Sub-Saharan African countries; in Latin American nations, instead, the most percentage of poverty is located in urban areas. The aim of this research was to estimate, by a multiple regression model, in 46 countries of Africa and in 23 nations of Souther-Central America, which socio-economic variables were able to play a fundamental role on the rural population and on the development of rural areas in 2000 and 2010 using some statistical data published in the FAO Statistic book. In analysed African countries there has been an increase of people living in the rural space and a growth by 21% of agricultural Gross Domestic Product （GDP）. In Southern and Central American nations, there has been a meaningful emigration from rural territories due to an expansion of commercial flows and per capita income in rich areas, thus people have decided to move from the rural territories to the urban territories, worsening the poverty and living conditions in the countryside.
文摘The objective of this study was to compare effects of natal plum fruits （Carissa grandiflora） on hemoglobin （HB） levels in comparison to ferrous sulfate tablets to 201 anemic children aging from 5 to 12 years in rural area in Somalia. The study was designed as randomized clinical intervention to explore the potentials of natal plum to combat against IDA （iron deficiency anemia）/anemia using mean HB gains as a parameter. The research was carried out in rural setting near Somalia capital where local NGOs （non governmental organizations） work in the absence of local/central authorities. Only HB levels of the subject children were measured as other confirmatory analyses were not available due to the civil wars at the time of the intervention. The baseline HB levels of both groups were similar. However, after the intervention the cumulative HB levels of the natal fruits group was higher than the control group of ferrous sulfate by at least 31% （P 〈 0.008, equal variances not assumed）. Dietary interventions to mitigate IDA/anemia using locally available foods rich in iron, vitamins C and A seem to promise in the developing countries where chronic inadequate resources seem to affect the public health nutrition especially vulnerable groups like growing children.
文摘Energy and environmental sustainability are important considerations for increased rice production. This study examined the energy utilization and sustainability of rice processing in sub-Saharan Africa. The community of Gadan Loko village in the song local government of Adamawa State, Nigeria was selected as the focus of study. Rice parboiling, the most energy intensive process in rice processing is carried out usually by women in small quantities of about 13.2 kg using traditional pots on tripod support stoves. The parboiled rice is sun dried on mats before it is taken to the milling stalls where it is milled using milling machines driven by single cylinder diesel engines. There were large variations in the quality of milled rice due to lack of consistency in processing parameters. Accumulation of rice husk in the community created important environmental issues. In this study, methods of improving sustainability of rice processing were investigated. The areas included： the utilization of waste heat from the diesel engines for improved drying and efficient pre-soaking; the utilization of solar energy for pre-soaking; the utilization of rice husks as alternative fuel to firewood; and the optimization and redesign of the stoves and parboiling vessels to minimize heat loss to the environment. The results showed that the utilization of rice husk as alternative fuel and the redesign of the stoves and parboiling vessels will increase the sustainability of rice processing and can be easily adopted by the community. While solar energy pre-soaking was not economical and the utilization of waste heat from the diesel engines for drying and pre-soaking would be difficult to implement at the rural scale, because most of the parboiling is done far away from the milling stalls. The study showed that research, development of appropriate technology, and education （RATE） of the rural community is an important way of increasing sustainability.
基金National Science Foundation of China (Grant No.40971062)
文摘Based on rural household survey data in Taipusi County in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, this article analyzes agricultural land use intensity and its determinants. The results reveal marked differences of agricultural land use intensity among households with different ages of householders, proportion of non-farm participants, total agricultural land area, land fragmentation and land utilization capacity. （i） Households with older householders and households with a smaller proportion of non-farming laborers generally spend more time on managing their land and invest less capital and materials than other households. The proportion of non-farming laborers within younger households is relatively high, and they tend to invest more capital and materials because the income derived from non-farm employment relaxes their financial constraints. （ii） Land fragmentation is an important determinant of land use intensity. Households with a bigger land size per plot usually spend less time and invest more capital and materials on their land; （iii） Land with better quality is usually managed intensively. The results suggest that labor has become an important constraint for local agricultural production, and there is the potential to improve land management scale and increase machinery input to substitute for labor. Furthermore, the effects of non-farm employment on land use intensity indicate that the establishment of a coordination mechanism between non-farm employment and agricultural land use is an important way to solve the conflict between ecological security and agricultural production in ecologically-vulnerable areas.
