Agricultural Environmental Degradation Research Articles

Developed biofilm-based biofertilizer as a bioremediation agent for agroecosystem and environment contaminated with Cr (VI)

Biofilm are microbial community that attaches to one substrate and another through EPS. Functional microbes in biofilm can be used as a biofertilizer which increase plant growth by providing nutrients and plant resistance to pathogens due to agricultural environmental degradation. Beside being a biofertilizer, biofilm can be developed as a bioremediation agent. Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is a heavy metal that is widely used in the leather tanning, pharmaceutical and metallurgical industries, so it is easily found in irrigation and causes agricultural land pollution. Chrome can be toxic to microorganisms, plants, animals and humans, because it is carcinogenic, causes ecosystem damage and has a negative impact on human health. Various techniques are used to remediate Cr (VI), one method that can be used is bioremediation by exploiting the potential of bacteri or fungi incorporated in the biofilm. In this study, the biofilm consisted of bacterial and fungi (BFBF) that were found on the western slopes of Mount Lawu. The Cr (VI) reduction test was carried out at concentrations of 5 and 50 mg L−1. The results showed that the biofilm was able to reduce Cr (VI) up to 1.19 mg L−1within 6 hours.

Environmental degradation and agriculture: an approach in countries by middle of indexes

ABSTRACT: Society evolution is commonly followed by changes; however, some of them bring negative implications for the community. One of these consequences refers to environmental degradation, which has agricultural activity as one of its influencing agents, which is essentially characterized by man’s predatory actions. Accordingly, this research analyzed the environmental degradation in 167 pattern in the agricultural world. Therefore, the Agricultural Environmental Degradation Index (IDAA) was used as a proxy for agricultural environmental degradation and the factor analysis technique. Results indicated that the most degraded country was Russia, which belongs to the European continent; however, the other positions were occupied predominantly by Africa, followed by North America and Oceania. Issues such as rural poverty and primitive natural settings can leverage this phenomenon. The lowest rates of degradation were concentrated on Central America and Europe, where agricultural activity was most incipient. In this sense, a directly proportional relationship between environmental degradation and agricultural practice was reported considering that countries dependent on this phenomenon had the most worrying results. Thereby, there is an emerging need for public policies that integrate economic and environmental dimensions that reduce negative impacts in the regions most degraded.

A Framework for Reviewing Silvopastoralism: A New Zealand Hill Country Case Study

Silvopastoral systems can be innovative solutions to agricultural environmental degradation, especially in hilly and mountainous regions. A framework that expresses the holistic nature of silvopastoral systems is required so research directions can be unbiased and informed. This paper presents a novel framework that relates the full range of known silvopastoral outcomes to bio-physical tree attributes, and uses it to generate research priorities for a New Zealand hill country case study. Current research is reviewed and compared for poplar (Populus spp.), the most commonly planted silvopastoral tree in New Zealand hill country, and kānuka (Kunzea spp.), a novel and potentially promising native alternative. The framework highlights the many potential benefits of kānuka, many of which are underappreciated hill country silvopastoral outcomes, and draws attention to the specific outcome research gaps for poplar, despite their widespread use. The framework provides a formalised tool for reviewing and generating research priorities for silvopastoral trees, and provides a clear example of how it can be used to inform research directions in silvopastoral systems, globally.

Degradação Ambiental nos Municípios do Rio Grande do Sul e Relação com os Fatores de Desenvolvimento Rural

Resumo:O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o padrão de degradação ambiental agropecuário dos municípios gaúchos e verificar como esse padrão é impactado pelos fatores de desenvolvimento rural desses mesmos municípios em dois períodos distintos de tempo. Neste sentido, foi utilizada a metodologia do Índice de Degradação Ambiental Agropecuária (IDAA) como proxy para a degradação ambiental agropecuária e a técnica de análise fatorial para encontrar os fatores determinantes do desenvolvimento rural. A fim de estudar o impacto desses fatores na degradação ambiental agropecuária do Rio Grande do Sul, foi estimado um modelo de regressão com dados em painel por meio do método de Efeitos Fixos. Os valores de degradação ambiental agropecuária para as mesorregiões gaúchas mostraram-se elevados, e a mesorregião Centro Oriental apresentou as maiores médias de degradação. Nas relações entre o IDAA e os fatores, todos os coeficientes demonstraram significância estatística. Os fatores Condições de Moradia e Educação Rurais, Alavancagem e Corretivos da Produção Rural e Energia Elétrica Rural apresentaram relação positiva com a degradação, e os fatores Estrutura e Desempenho do Setor Agropecuário, Área de Produção Agropecuária e Econômico e Financeiro Rural apresentaram relação negativa. Isso demonstra efeitos divergentes entre os aspectos estudados.

A REVIEW OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD: LESSONS FOR SOUTH AFRICA

This article reviews the existing work on environmental degradation resulting from agricultural practices in the developing world, and presents the empirical facts and figures thereon. This is followed by the identification and analysis of the underlying factors, causes and effects of the agricultural environmental degradation in these regions. The “subsistence effects” which arise from poverty and the changing face of subsistence farming; the “green revolution effectsm which arisefiom the adoption of green revolution technology, and the “externality effects” which arise from the consumption of common proprty are identified as some of the main underlying factors that determine the environmental impacts of agriculture in developing areas. The above factors, the macrosocial and microsocial factors that determing the adoption of conservation practices, and the short- and long-term implications of government policies in the developing countries are deemed some of the most important considerations for environm...

Agriculture and Environmental Policy: Recent United States and Australian Developments

Agricultural development in both the United States and Australia has led to suboptimal levels of environmental degradation. While both countries face similar forms of agricultural environmental degradation, the different resource endowment and population distributions have resulted in a different incidence of the costs of these problems. Increasing demand for environmental services and better information on off-site damages have led to increasing demand for reform of agricultural, rural development, and environmental programs to eliminate biases against practices viewed as more environmentally compatible.