What is going up in smoke?——A study of emissions in the wood industry

The requirements that a business needs to consider when building a wood panels manufacturing plant are much the same as they have been for decades, but today there is also the need for multiple environmental studies and permits. These are costly and time consuming additional expenses that often are the longest lead-time items on any project. Most industrialized countries have legislation in place to limit and control the negative impact that emission of pollutants may have on the environment. This paper discusses what is actually happening inside wood drying plants, and the prerequisite conditions for genesis of pyrolytic products relative to the operational parameters, such as choice of input raw materials, driers design and operational regime, choice of fuels for the heat generation and how these factors influence production of stack emission. The characterization of emission condensate by analytical methods is described, and survey of emission control system in use worldwide is described, and means of investigating what may be the optimum design for the control of emission is discussed. Alternate uses of utilizing the condensate, other than burning, are presented for consideration.

The effects of climate and land use change on the potential distribution and nesting habitat of the Lesser Adjutant in Nepal

Climate change and land use change pose a threat to the world’s biodiversity and have significant impacts on the geographic distribution and composition of many bird species,but little is known about how they affect threatened large-sized waterbird species that rely on agricultural landscapes.To address this gap,we investigated how climate and land use changes influence the distribution and nesting habitats of the globally vulnerable Lesser Adjutant(Leptoptilos javanicus) in Nepal.Between 2012 and 2023,we collected distribution data from 24 districts and nesting site information from 18 districts.In a nation-wide breeding survey conducted in 2020,we documented a total of 581 fledglings from 346 nests in 109 colonies.The ensemble model predicted a current potential distribution of 15%(21,637 km2) and a potential nesting habitat of 13%(19,651 km2) for the species in Nepal.The highest predicted current suitable distribution and nesting habitat was in Madhesh Province,while none was predicted in Karnali Province.The majority of this predicted distributional and nesting habitat falls on agricultural landscapes(>70%).Our model showed a likely range expansion of up to 15%(21,573 km2) for the distribution and up to 12%(17,482 km2) for the nesting habitat under SSP5-8.5 scenarios for the 2070s.The range expansion is expected to occur mainly within the current distribution and breeding range(Tarai and some regions of Siwalk),particularly in Lumbini and Sudurpashchim provinces,and extend to the northern portions(Siwalik and Mid-hill regions) in other provinces.However,the current Protected Areas and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas are inadequate for providing optimal habitats for the species.Although the model suggests range expansion,the use of such novel habitats is primarily contingent on the availability and protection of large-sized trees(particularly Bombax ceiba,observed in 65% of colonies) in agricultural regions where nesting occurs.Therefore,our research suggests that agricultural landscapes should be prioritized in management plans for the conservation of the Lesser Adjutant in Nepal.

Poplar Plantation as an Agroforestry Approach:Economic Benefits and Its Role in Carbon Sequestration in North India

Poplar has gained popularity among farmers of Punjab,Haryana,Western Uttar Pradesh,and the foothills of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh due to their fast growth rate and suitability for industrial uses such as pulp and timber production.Integrating poplar trees into agroforestry systems optimizes land resources and economic gains,as successful techniques have been developed to coordinate crop timing and arrangements effectively.Integrating poplar trees with agricultural crops provides additional income streams for farmers and contributes to soil conservation,biodiversity enhancement,and other environmental benefits.Farmers in these regions typically employ effective spacing of 5 m×4 m for block plantation and 1 m×3 m for row plantation.In the present study,a systematic literature review encompassing 137 English-language journal articles was conducted to assess the economic benefits of Poplar using discounted cash flow(DCF)analysis,considering short-rotation poplar(SRC)and very short-rotation poplar(vSRC)plantations alongside annual crops.The findings revealed that increasing canopy density led to a decline in crop yields by 37%,70%,and 99% at canopy densities of 30%,60%,and 90%,respectively,from early spring to harvest.Cost-benefit analysis in Saharanpur district,India,indicated average annual net returns of USD 346.36 for Poplar-based agrisilviculture,while monoculture yielded USD 140.73 per annum.Furthermore,economic analysis in Yamunanagar and Haridwar districts showed benefit-cost ratios ranging from 2.35 to 3.7.Additionally,Poplar block and boundary plantations were found to sequester significantly more carbon in long-lived biomass,serving as substitutes for fossil fuels(5.45 and 1.84 t ha-1 yr-1)in poplar-based systems with block and boundary plantations.The study suggested expanding spacing between tree rows may mitigate resource competition between plantations and crops.The study inferred that Poplar-based agroforestry may play a crucial role in climate mitigation programs by effectively sequestering atmospheric carbon and offering fuel,fodder,timber,and wood products,thereby alleviating pressure on existing natural forests.

N4-methylcytidine ribosomal RNA methylation in chloroplasts is crucial for chloroplast function,development,and abscisic acid response in Arabidopsis

Although the essential role of messenger RNA methylation in the nucleus is increasingly understood,the nature of ribosomal RNA(rRNA)methyltransferases and the role of rRNA methylation in chloroplasts remain largely unknown.A recent study revealed that CMAL(for Chloroplast mraW-Like)is a chloroplast-localized rRNA methyltransferase that is responsible for N4-methylcytidine(m^(4)C)in 16S chloroplast rRNA in Arabidopsis thaliana.In this study,we further examined the role of CMAL in chloroplast biogenesis and function,development,and hormone response.The cmal mutant showed reduced chlorophyll biosynthesis,photosynthetic activity,and growth-defect phenotypes,including severely stunted stems,fewer siliques,and lower seed yield.The cmal mutant was hypersensitive to chloroplast translation inhibitors,such as lincomycin and erythromycin,indicating that the m^(4)C methylation defect in the 16S rRNA leads to a reduced translational activity in chloroplasts.Importantly,the stunted stem of the cmal mutant was partially rescued by exogenous gibberellic acid or auxin.The cmal mutant grew poorer than wild type,whereas the CMAL-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis plants grew better than wild type in the presence of abscisic acid.Altogether,these results indicate that CMAL is an indispensable rRNA methyltransferase in chloroplasts and is crucial for chloroplast biogenesis and function,photosynthesis,and hormone response during plant growth and development.

Users’Participation in Community Forest Management:A Comparative Study

Local community participation in forest management is pivotal since they are familiar with the forest environment.In the successful management of community forestry(CF),both males and females along with the representation of poor and disadvantaged groups are of vital importance.This research compares the users’perception in community forest management(CFM)activities,and socio-economic variables influencing participation in studied community forestry user groups(CFUGs).Primary data were collected through reconnaissance surveys,interviewing key informants,focus group discussions,and household surveys.Secondary data were collected from the division forest office,CFUGs’operational plan(OP)and Constitution,internet,and authenticated websites.The chi-square(χ^(2))test was applied to test separately association variables like gender,caste,age class,education level,and wealth ranking with participation.Using ordered logit regression,the variables affecting participation in OP and constitution-making,Silvicultural activities,Forest products collection,and CF fund mobilization were quantified.Gender and Education were found to be the most promising factor influencing participation in Jagriti CFUG and Jhankrikhola CFUG respectively.In general,higher caste,older age,and rich people dominate the major decision-making activities.However,lower caste and poor people have been involved comparatively more in Forest product collection.