Human Agricultural Activities Research Articles

Evaluación de la calidad del agua subterránea para uso agrícola en Balzar, provincia del Guayas, Ecuador

Water is a natural and vital resource for living beings and ecosystems. Groundwater is of great importance for human consumption and agricultural activities, but over the years, it has become an increasingly scarce resource. The objective of this research was to evaluate the quality of groundwater extracted from wells used for crop irrigation in Balzar, province the Guayas, Ecuador. Four treatments and three repetitions were used; groundwater extracted from three wells plus a distilled water core. Physical, chemical, microbiological analyzes and a toxicity test with dark incubation were carried out on seeds of radish (Raphanus sativus), cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and corn (Zea mays). Turbidity exceeded permitted levels under TULSMA regulations and bicarbonate and chlorine levels exceeded the permitted limit. The microbiological analysis reflected fecal coliform values above 1000 UFC.100 mL-1 of water, indicating the presence of contaminants in the water sources. Phytotoxicity tests carried out with radish seeds showed a stimulation of radicle growth in well one and mild toxicity in wells two and three. For cocoa and corn seeds, moderate and mild toxicity was evident, respectively in the three wells. Although the maximum permissible limits were exceeded in some variables, the water from the three wells can be used for irrigation; however, there is a need to take measures to improve the quality of the water in these wells.

Changes in soil microbial carbon fixation pathways along the oasification process in arid desert region: A confirmation based on metagenome analysis

Microbial carbon fixation has been proved to play a key role in soil carbon accumulation in arid desert oasis, but the fixation mechanism remains unclear. To solve it, we used metagenomic sequencing technology to measure the changes of soil microbial community structure, carbon fixation–related genes and carbon fixation pathway, as well as their relationships with soil properties between natural desert shrubbery (CK) and four oasis farmlands with different cultivation years (i.e., 3, 18 and 30 years) in the arid desert region of northwest China. The results showed that the contents of four soil carbon fraction (soil organic carbon/SOC, soil recalcitrant organic carbon/ROC, soil water solution carbon /WSC, and microbial biomass carbon/MBC) all significantly increased with the cultivation years (30 years ≥ 18 years > 6 years ≥ 3 years ≥ CK) (P < 0.05). Microbial composition was significant difference among CK, 3-, 6-, 18- and 30-years cultivated farmlands. Bacteria were the soil dominant taxa, and its relative abundance gradually decreased with the cultivation years. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Acidobacteria were the dominant phylum of soil microorganisms in desert shrubbery and oasis farmlands. Their relative abundance changed obviously with cultivation years. Six microbial carbon fixation pathways. i.e., the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle (rTCA), dicarboxylate/4–hydroxybutyrate cycle (DC/4–HB cycle), 3–hydroxypropionate bicycle (3–HP bi–cycle), 3–hydroxypropionate/4–hydroxybutyrate cycle (3–HP/4–HB cycle), Calvin cycle and the Wood–Ljungdahl pathway (WL pathway), were found in all soils, but only the rTCA, DC/4–HB, 3–HP/4–HB cycles and WL pathway significantly changed with the cultivation years. The rTCA cycle was the most common fixation pathway, followed by DC/4–HB cycle and 3–HP/4–HB cycle, while WL pathway was least detected. Soil properties, especially pH, recalcitrant organic carbon, bulk density, total salinity and soil water contents, affected microbial community composition and carbon fixation–related genes in the oasification process. Our results suggested that oasification affected microbial carbon fixation by changing the soil environment due to human agricultural activities. Limited by energy supply in the nutrient–poor soils, rTCA and DC/4–HB cycles were mainly used by microorganisms to fix carbon in oasis farmlands.

The Influence of Human Agricultural Activities on the Quality of Selected Fluvisols from the Vistula River Valley, Poland—Preliminary Research

Studies on the impact of human agricultural activities on the soil microbiome and soil quality are extremely important, but such studies on floodplains in river valleys are lacking. The aim of this preliminary study was to determine the impact of blackcurrant cultivation on Fluvisols located in the Vistula River valley (Poland). The dehydrogenases (DHa) and phosphatases (acid-AcP, and alkaline-AlP) activities, carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN) contents of the microbial biomass, the metabolic potential of the microbial community (EcoPlate™ Biolog) and taxonomic diversity of the soil microbiome were determined (next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S rRNA gene). Enzymatic activity and metabolic potential and diversity (EcoPlate™) were higher in the soils from meadows, but MBC and MBN and biodiversity indices derived from NGS were higher in the cultivated soils. It can be confirmed that human activities affect the physicochemical, biological and microbiological parameters of Fluvisols. This may indicate that microorganisms are numerically more abundant and taxonomically more diverse in the cultivated soils, but are more active in the soils from meadows.

Effect of Land Use on the Stability of Soil Organic Carbon in a Karst Region

The composition of soil organic carbon and its stability mechanism are the key to understanding the terrestrial carbon sink capacity. The stability of soil organic carbon in a karst ecosystem greatly affects the soil carbon fixation capacity. In order to understand the impact of human activities on the stability of soil organic carbon in karst areas, the karst valley area of Zhongliang Mountain in Chongqing was selected as an example, and soil samples of four typical land use modes (mixed forest, bamboo forest, grassland, and cultivated land) were collected in layers to analyze the total organic carbon (TOC) and heavy fraction organic carbon (HFOC). The distribution characteristics of light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), labile organic carbon (LOC), and recalcitrant organic carbon (ROC) were analyzed quantitatively by using a structural equation model to provide basic data for soil carbon sink assessment and soil quality protection in karst areas. The results showed that the organic carbon components under different land use patterns in karst areas had obvious surface accumulation, and the content of organic carbon components in the surface layer was 1.2 times that in the bottom layer. Except for LFOC, the content of other organic carbon components was the highest in the mixed forest, followed by that in the bamboo forest and wasteland, with the lowest in cultivated land. Mixed forest ω(TOC) content was the highest, 42.5 g·kg-1, followed by that of bamboo forest (36.6 g·kg-1) and grassland (18.7 g·kg-1), and cultivated land content was the lowest, 13.4 g·kg-1. The soil organic carbon content of cultivated land was 68.5%, 63.5%, and 28.3% lower than that of mixed forest, bamboo forest, and grassland, respectively. Mixed forest had the highest content of ω(HFOC), 21 g·kg-1, followed by those of bamboo forest (20.9 g·kg-1), grassland (18.2 g·kg-1), and cultivated land (13.5 g·kg-1). The mixed forest ω(LOC) content was the highest, 16.3 g·kg-1, followed by those of bamboo forest (14.9 g·kg-1), grassland (11.5 g·kg-1), and cultivated land (5.3 g·kg-1). Mixed forest ω (ROC) content was the highest, 25.7 g·kg-1, followed by those of bamboo forest (21.6 g·kg-1), grassland (15.9 g·kg-1), and cultivated land (10.3 g·kg-1). The bamboo forest land ω(LFOC) content was 15.9 g·kg-1, followed by those of mixed forest (13.9 g·kg-1), grassland (7.3 g·kg-1), and cultivated land (4.9 g·kg-1). The recalcitrant organic carbon index (ROCI) was used to indicate the stability of soil organic carbon. The variation range of ROCI was 33.9%-64.5%, of which the highest was mixed forest (64.5%-66.3%), and the lowest was cultivated land (33.8%-39.6%). The ROCI of mixed forest, bamboo forest, and grassland were 1.8 times, 1.6 times, and 1.4 times that of cultivated land, respectively. Karst area ω (inert organic carbon) content and ROCI showed that human agricultural activities caused the reduction in soil organic carbon content and the destruction of soil physical structure, resulting in the accelerated decomposition and turnover rate of soil organic matter. The most important factor affecting soil stability in karst areas was soil pH. Tillage activities caused soil pH to rise, reduced soil microbial activity, and were not conducive to the accumulation of the inert organic carbon and soil organic carbon pool in the soil.

Growth of the wildland-urban interface and its spatial determinants in the Polish Carpathians

The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) is the area where natural vegetation is close to housing and area of concern due to various negative consequences for humans and the environment including fire ignitions, landscape fragmentation and human-wildlife interactions. The WUI is a global phenomenon, and widespread in many countries but long-term WUI dynamics and the main factors causing WUI growth are unknown. Our goal was to assess WUI changes in the Polish Carpathians since the mid-19th century, based on high-resolution spatial data for 1860s, 1970s and 2013. We found that WUI covered already 30% of the study area in the 1860s but grew to cover nearly half by 2013, especially at lower elevations. Detailed analysis of WUI determinants confirmed the areas closer to regional administrative centres or located on steep slopes were more WUI-prone. Tourist trail density also fostered WUI occurrence. We conclude that in Central Europe, with a long history of human settlements and agricultural activities, WUI has been a persistent landscape feature for centuries, but increased in area in recent decades due to widespread abandonment of agricultural land combined with development of new residential areas.

The protective efficacy of dual dietary rosemary plus cinnamon mix against lead nitrate-induced immune suppression, genotoxicity, and oxidant/antioxidant status in Nile tilapia fingerlings

AbstractLead (Pb) is a common heavy metal, which negatively influences the health and performance of aquatic organisms. The aquatic pollution with Pb is increasing day after day due to the increase in human activities, agricultural, and mining activities among others. Lead was regarded as oxidative stressor causing mutagenic and physiological disorders in aquatic animals. Hence, the current perspective assessed the promoting effects of dietary mixture of rosemary plus cinnamon (R + C) intervention on growth, hemato-biochemical, and hepatic oxidative biomarkers in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to a sub-lethal dose of lead nitrate (7.94 mg Pb/L) for 60 days. Fish were distributed into four equal groups; T1 was kept as a control group, T2 was fed on 10 g R + C/kg feed, and T3 and T4 were fed on the control diet and 10 g R + C/kg feed, respectively, along with lead nitrate exposure. Findings of the present study indicated that, upon exposure to Pb (T3), growth, hemato-biochemical, and immune indices in Nile tilapia were notably reduced compared with that of the control group (T1). Meanwhile, stress (blood glucose, cortisol, total cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine and aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase), hepatic oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) biomarkers, and DNA fragmentation percentage were significantly augmented in T3 vs T1. Additionally, exposing fish to lead nitrate caused immune suppression compared with the control group (T3 vs T1). On the other hand, the dietary supplementation of R + C mix to Nile tilapia (T2) enhanced its growth performance, antioxidant, and immune status. Feeding Pb-intoxicated Nile tilapia on R + C mix (T4) mitigated the oxidative damage and immune suppression induced by lead nitrate exposure compared with T3. Based on the present study outcomes, we opine that feeding Nile tilapia with rosemary plus cinnamon mixture (10 g/kg feed) has protective effects against lead nitrate-induced stress, physiological alterations, and oxidative damage.

Water Quality Measurements with TSS, TDS, Total Phosphate, Nitrate, Total Coliform Parameters in the Garang Water Shed

Massive industrial and urban development can cause changes in the quality of river water, one of which is the Garang Watershed, located in Central Java Province. This river is situated in Kendal Regency (upper and middle) and Semarang City (middle and lower). This research examined the Garang River's water quality conditions, divided into four sub-basins: Garang Hilir, Garang Hulu, Kreo and Kripik. The parameter assessed in this research is TSS, TDS, Total Phosphate, Nitrate, and Total Coliform Parameters with a total of ten sampling location points were determined based on several criteria using GPS and the SNI 6989.57:2008 sampling method. TSS and TDS concentrations in March-April were observed to be high, especially at sampling point 10. In contrast, total phosphate concentrations were elevated at sampling points 2, 3, and 9; Nitrate values were observed to be high at sampling point 3 in March and sampling point 5 in April; Total coliforms were high at sampling points 1, 3, and 4, all of these is possibly due to domestic waste and the use of fertilizer by agricultural activities. This sampling quality assessment shows a close relationship between human activities and agricultural activities in river water quality, especially in the Garang River.

Trends and Progress on Antibiotic-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Genes in relation to Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and tuberculosis (TB) are among the infectious diseases that cause high rates of mortality worldwide. The epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in correlation to people that live with TB and HIV has not been thoroughly investigated particularly in South Africa. Numerous cases of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) have been announced immensely worldwide. The spread and control of the MDR-TB pandemic due to unsuccessful treatment is one of the most serious public issues of concern, and this challenge is of international interest. Despite all measures that have been executed to overcome the challenge of MDR-TB in recent decades, the global MDR-TB trends have kept on accelerating with more and more people becoming victims. This is attributed to the abuse, misuse, and overuse of different antibacterial agents in human medicine, animal farms, and agricultural activities which serve as a wellspring for the evolution of antimicrobial resistance within the population. Over and above, the impetuous evolution, mutation, and the transfer of resistant genes via horizontal gene transfer are well-known contributive factors towards the antimicrobial resistance problem. Among the public health concerns in the world currently is the ever-increasing problem of antibiotic resistance which outpaces the progress of newly developed antimicrobials. The propagation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is even more amplified in areas where the pressure of antimicrobial resistant pathogens is elevated, and hence the population with ubiquitous HIV and AIDS is considered the hotspot. This review therefore aims to give in-depth coverage on the trends and the progress on the development of TB and HIV-resistant strains, highlight strategies to solve the problem, and accentuate the repercussions of the COVID-19 epidemic on the AMR.

An Assessment of the Heavy Metal Contamination, Risk, and Source Identification in the Sediments from the Liangtan River, China

The contents of six heavy metals (HMs: Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Cd, and Zn) in sediments from the upper reaches of Liangtan River (LTR) were determined. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (RI) were employed to assess the HM contamination in the sediments. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis (PCC), principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis (CA) were used to infer the sources of HMs. The average concentrations of Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Cd, and Zn were 44.63 ± 25.36, 31.40 ± 22.56, 4.66 ± 2.07, 29.20 ± 27.73, 0.25 ± 0.06, and 68.87 ± 104.62 μg/g, respectively. The Igeo indicated that the Cd contamination level was unpolluted to moderately polluted. The mean PLI was 0.97 ± 0.53, suggesting that the sediments were unpolluted, but close to moderately contaminated. The RI values indicated that the potential environmental risk of HMs in the sediments of the LTR was low. The results of PCC, PCA, and CA suggested that the Cr, Cu, As, and Zn in the sediment may mainly originate from natural processes; Pb mainly comes from human industrial and agricultural production activities as well as natural processes; and the main source of Cd may be the production activities of the surrounding chemical enterprises and chemical fertilizer application in farmland.

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Future Precipitation Changes in the Huaihe River Basin Based on the NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 Dataset and Monitoring Data

This research analyzes extreme precipitation events in the Huaihe River Basin in China, a densely populated region with a history of human settlements and agricultural activities. This study aims to explore the impact of extreme precipitation index changes and provide decision-making suggestions for flood early warning and agricultural development in the Huaihe River Basin. The study utilizes the NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 climate model dataset and daily value dataset (V3.0) from China’s national surface weather stations to investigate temporal and spatial changes in the extreme precipitation indices from 1960 to 2014 and future projections. At the same time, this study adopts the RclimDex model, Taylor diagram, and Sen+Mann–Kendall trend analysis research methods to analyze the data. The results reveal a slight increase in extreme precipitation indices from the northwest to southeast within the basin, except for the CDD, which shows a decreasing trend. Regarding the spatial variation, the future increase in extreme precipitation in the Huaihe River Basin shows a spatial variation characteristic that decreases from the northwest to southeast. These findings suggest that extreme precipitation events are intensifying in the region. Understanding these trends and their implications is vital for adaptation strategy planning and mitigating the risks associated with extreme precipitation events in the Huaihe River Basin.

Analysis of Vegetation Cover Change in the Geomorphic Zoning of the Han River Basin Based on Sustainable Development

The Han River Basin, a critical water conservation and ecological barrier in Hubei Province, is intricately associated with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research results show that vegetation cover changes are affected by multiple factors, and understanding the influences of climate change and human activities on vegetation is imperative for achieving sustainable development in the basin. Through quantitative assessment of vegetation changes in diverse landform regions, implementing adaptive ecological construction and environmental protection will foster the sustainable development of ecological civilization in the Han River Basin. This study utilizes MODIS13Q1 data and employs diverse analytical methods to investigate the characteristics of vegetation change and the interrelationships between climate change, meteorological factors, and vegetation cover in various geomorphological areas of the Han River Basin from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that (1) throughout the entire study period, the NDVI of the six types of geomorphological divisions in the Han River Basin exhibited a fluctuating upward trend, with the changes in the low-altitude hilly geomorphic regions being particularly noteworthy. (2) Within the study area, approximately 92.67% of vegetation coverage displayed an increasing trend, while 7.33% showed degradation, predominantly in plains and platforms. Notably, the area of continuous improvement (31.16%) outweighed the area of continuous degradation (3.05%), with low and middle-relief mountain areas demonstrating the most robust growth and sustainability. (3) Human agriculture activities and urbanization processes have emerged as the primary driving force behind vegetation changes in the Han River Basin. The responses of vegetation to climate change and human activities exhibited significant variations across diverse geomorphological regions. In areas characterized by vegetation improvement, the contribution rate of human activities to NDVI changes in different vegetation types surpassed 70%, with plain areas displaying the highest contribution rate at a remarkable 90%. In contrast, the plain and platform regions of the vegetation degradation area were significantly influenced by climate change. In future watershed ecological environment management, it is essential to not only recognize the dominant role of human activities in promoting the growth of mountain vegetation NDVI but also address the impact of climate change on the degradation of vegetation NDVI in plains and platforms. A comprehensive understanding of these factors is crucial for devising effective strategies to ensure sustainable development and ecological balance in the Han River Basin.

Innovative energy-saving technologies in agriculture in conditions of urbanization

The article reflects the issues of creating harmonious architectural objects in conditions of urbanization, which implies a symbiosis of nature, architecture and human agricultural activity. The necessary conditions for the construction of buildings are the use of modern achievements in the field of technical equipment of structures that ensure the vital activity of plants. The recommendations for the inclusion of agricultural facilities and buildings in the structure of an urbanized city contribute to expanding the importance of this sphere of life. Use of the advanced power model of development of future world based on transformation of the sun energy in power plants with use of resonant technologies of N. Tesla can become perspective approach in this direction.

Ancient human colonization explains dung beetle species richness in the Mediterranean and Macaronesian islands

AbstractAimDifferent hypothesis have been proposed to explain differences in species richness among islands. However, few studies have attempted to compare the explanatory power of multiple hypotheses using a large data set. Here, we analyse how different types of predictors (energetic/climatic, environmental heterogeneity, island biogeography and anthropogenic) affect variation in dung beetle species richness on Mediterranean and Macaronesian islands.LocationMediterranean and Macaronesian islands.TaxonDung beetles.MethodsUsing a large data set of islands (n = 147), we extracted the species richness of dung beetles on each island using 362 bibliographic reference sources. We performed GLMs to analyse the relationship between the species richness of dung beetles and 11 explanatory variables (temperature, evapotranspiration, aridity, area, maximum elevation, connection to continent during LGM, geological origin, distance from continent, nearest continent, years since first human colonization and human density) representing four types of causal hypotheses. We also included as a covariate the number of published papers studying dung beetles as a surrogate of the survey/study effort carried out in each island.ResultsGLMs suggest that the years since first human colonization, the number of published papers and island area were the predictors with a higher explanatory capacity. The volcanic character of the islands and the distance from the mainland had some relevance in the case of Scarabaeinae and Geotrupinae, and maximum elevation appeared relevant in the species richness of Scarabaeinae and Aphodiidae. The anthropogenic and island biogeography hypotheses on the variation in species richness were the ones that have the strongest explanatory capacity, regardless of the inclusion of the surrogate of survey effort as a covariate in the models.Main conclusionsThe long history of human movements and agricultural activities has facilitated the colonization of dung beetles and provided trophic resources for their persistence, leading to increased species richness. Thus, the importance of anthropogenic factors in shaping the biodiversity patterns of island biogeography cannot be ignored. These human‐induced influences may play a fundamental role in altering the biogeographic patterns of islands, even overriding the importance of other variables. Consequently, our findings underline the profound impact of historical human actions on islands biodiversity.

Spatial Distribution, Source Analysis, and Health Risk Assessment of Metal Elements in Karst Water in Southeastern Chongqing

Dispersed karst water is an important water supply source, or even the only water supply source, for some districts and counties in Chongqing City. It is particularly necessary to understand the distribution characteristics of metal elements in karst water and the health risks exposed. In this study, the scattered karst water in the southeastern part of Chongqing was taken as the main research object, and the concentrations of Al, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, Ni, Mn, As, and Hg in 42 groups of karst spring water samples were determined. The spatial distribution of metal elements with a high detection rate was revealed using the ordinary kriging interpolation method, and the spatial distribution characteristics, sources, and health risks of metal elements were analyzed using multivariate statistical methods and health risk models. The results showed that the quality of dispersed karst water in southeastern Chongqing was generally good, and the spatial scale variability in the occurrence of metal elements in karst water was strong, especially for Ni and As. The sources of Cu, Pb, As, Zn, and Cr were mainly affected by the regional geological background; Al and Mn were mainly affected by human industrial, agricultural, and mining activities; and Ni was affected by both the natural background and human activities. The total health risk of exposure through the drinking route was higher than that of the skin infiltration route, which was the main exposure route of the human body. The total health risk of children exposed through the drinking route was higher than that of adults, and the total health risk of adults exposed through the skin infiltration route was higher than that of children. It is worth noting that Cr was the determinant of total health risk. From the perspective of drinking water safety, local residents need to pay certain attention to water quality when drinking distributed karst groundwater, in order to reduce the health risk of the population.

The geographic distributions and complex genetic relationships among four Sorghum taxa identified in Taiwan

AbstractThe genus Sorghum consists of 25 species, including Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, one of the top five cereal crops cultivated globally, and S. halepense, one of the most noxious weeds. Weedy Sorghum possesses outstanding adaptability and drought tolerance thrives in diverse environments and becomes an invasive plant worldwide. Taiwan is a unique place possessing suitable habitats for four Sorghum taxa, S. bicolor ssp. bicolor, var. technicum, ssp. verticilliflorum and S. halepense, which were identified by key morphological features. The four Sorghum taxa showed distinct geographic distributions, revealing that invasiveness was influenced by their own characteristics and human activities. The sporadic distributions of cultivated S. bicolor ssp. bicolor and var. technicum may be attributed to human disturbance and agricultural activities. The rhizomatous S. halepense was widely distributed and showed the highest genetic diversity (He &gt; 0.776) among the four taxa, with its strong adaptation to various environments threatening the agricultural practices and ecosystem in Taiwan. In contrast, the newly naturalised S. bicolor ssp. verticilliflorum was confined to and dominant in southern Taiwan, with the lowest genetic diversity (He &lt; 0.272). Significant genetic differentiation (FST = 0.5207) between the two ssp. verticilliflorum subpopulations was associated with natural geographic isolation. This study concretely elucidated the geographic distributions, genetic diversity and relatedness of invasive and escaped Sorghum taxa, indicating the potential aggressiveness and hazard of weedy Sorghum in Taiwan.

The effect of anthropogenic load on the environmental state of rural settlements in the Rivnе and Ternopil regions

Aim. Investigate the state of soils and natural waters to identify the impact of anthropogenic load on the ecological state of rural settlements in the Rivne and Ternopil regions. Methods. The route monitoring method was used to conduct research. Chemical-analytical studies were performed according to the methods that correspond to the regulatory framework of Ukraine. Results. Human agricultural activity within the settlements of Rivne and Ternopil regions had a certain influence on the main indicators of soil quality. It was most significant on the less fertile soils of the Rivne region. The lack of ameliorative measures (periodic liming), an unbalanced ratio between nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and non-compliance with the rules of crop rotation lead to deterioration of soil quality indicators. Due to the uncontrolled application of ash, organic fertilizers, etc., by owners on homesteads, a very high supply of mobile phosphorus compounds was noted – from 318.2 to 1200 mg/kg of soil and an average of 101.2 mg/kg and a very high supply of mobile potassium compounds – 760 mg/kg of soil. In the Ternopil region, on more fertile soils, an improvement in physicochemical and agrochemical indicators of fertility was noted on homestead plots and fields compared to fallows, which indicates the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers, ash, etc. by the owners. On homesteads and fields, a decrease in the exchangeable acidity of the soil by 0.7–0.9 units and indicators of hydrolytic acidity up to 2.4 times compared to fallows was noted. The humus content tended to accumulate. The content of mobile phosphorus and potassium compounds in homesteads and fields was almost 1.8 times higher than in fallows. Quality indicators of drinking water samples taken in populated areas did not exceed regulatory requirements. Conclusions. A study of the state of settlement areas in the Rivne and Ternopil regions showed a significant influence of anthropogenic human activity on soil quality indicators. Therefore, monitoring the migration and accumulation of biogenic elements and ecotoxicants is important to prevent soil and natural water pollution.

Evaluation of Groundwater Quality for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes Using GIS-Based IWQI, EWQI and HHR Model

Groundwater pollution has emerged as a significant water crisis in various regions around the globe. Groundwater serves as a crucial source of water for human consumption and agricultural activities in the Sichuan Basin where groundwater quality has yet to be concentrated. A total of 41 groundwater samples were collected from domestic wells in Suining city of the Sichuan Basin, which were used for analyzing the hydrogeochemical processes and suitability for irrigation and drinking purposes. In the study area, groundwater samples belonged to the HCO3-Ca type. Hydrochemical compositions were dominated by carbonate and silicate mineral dissolution with positive cation exchange. Agricultural activities and urban sewage were the primary sources of NO3− pollution. The irrigation water quality index (IWQI) was calculated using electronic conductivity (EC), Na+, Cl−, HCO3−, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). The IWQI values showed that the suitability of groundwater irrigation was generally good and presented the decreasing trend southeastwardly. According to the entropy-weighted water quality index (EWQI), the groundwater quality for drinking purposes was generally good. However, there were some local areas with poor water quality concentrated in the southeast part. According to the human health risk (HHR) model, the groundwater was deemed safe for adults and children. However, for infants, the nitrate level in the groundwater remained high and posed potential health risks. The combined IWQI and EWQI evaluation served as a valuable reference for the utilization of the groundwater resource in the Sichuan Basin, as well as other comparable regions worldwide.

Agricultural Drought Risk Assessment Based on a Comprehensive Model Using Geospatial Techniques in Songnen Plain, China

Drought is a damaging and costly natural disaster that will become more serious in the context of global climate change in the future. Constructing a reliable drought risk assessment model and presenting its spatial pattern could be significant for agricultural production. However, agricultural drought risk mapping scientifically still needs more effort. Considering the whole process of drought occurrence, this study developed a comprehensive agricultural drought risk assessment model that involved all risk components (exposure, hazard, vulnerability and mitigation capacity) and their associated criteria using geospatial techniques and fuzzy logic. The comprehensive model was applied in Songnen Plain to justify its applicability. ROC and AUC techniques were applied to evaluate its efficiency, and the prediction rate was 88.6%. The similar spatial distribution of water resources further verified the model’s reliability. The southwestern Songnen Plain is a very-high-risk (14.44%) region, determined by a high vulnerability, very high hazardousness and very low mitigation capacity, and is the region that should be paid the most attention to; the central part is a cross-risk region of high risk (24.68%) and moderate risk (27.28%) with a serious disturbance of human agricultural activities; the northeastern part is a dry grain production base with a relatively optimal agricultural production condition of very low risk (22.12%) and low risk (11.48%). Different drought mitigation strategies should be adopted in different regions due to different drought causes. The findings suggest that the proposed model is highly effective in mapping comprehensive drought risk for formulating strong drought mitigation strategies and could be used in other drought-prone areas.

What contributes to local-level institutional adaptation under climate change? A configurational approach based on evidence from China's Sponge City Program

Unrestrained human industrial and agricultural production activities exacerbate climate change and environmental pollution. Climate change leads to an increase in flood risks and the spread of water and soil pollution, resulting in challenges in urban stormwater management. Institutional adaptation to climate change is vital for realizing effective local urban stormwater management. However, the accumulated knowledge on climate adaptation over the past decade has been concentrated at the technical and economic levels, with limited research on institutional adaptation. The Sponge City Program in China selects 30 pilot cities to promote a novel stormwater management approach that combines the reliability of traditional gray infrastructures made of concrete materials with the adaptability and sustainability of green-blue infrastructures based on natural-based solutions, but the extent of institutional adaptation in this process varies considerably across pilot cities. To explain what drives institutional adaptation, a configurational analysis of pilot cities is conducted using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method. Based on data from 628 official reports and 36 interviews, we demonstrate local governments are significant institutional entrepreneurs, and high institutional adaptation occurs with the combined effects of institutional capacity, financial resources, and reputational incentives. There are three types of paths driving institutional adaptation: “strong institutional capacity-strong financial resource-low reputational reserve,” “strong institutional capacity-strong financial resource-high reputational competition,” and “strong institutional capacity-weak financial resource-low reputational reserve.” These three paths account for 72% of the instances of high institutional adaptation outcomes, and 90% of cases share a given configuration of conditions associated with an outcome. Our conclusion advances a theoretical understanding of the drivers of institutional adaptation and provides guidelines for future climate adaptation practices.

Human Health Risk and Quality Assessment of Spring Water Associated with Nitrates, Potentially Toxic Elements, and Fecal Coliforms: A Case from Southern Mexico

Spring water is important for human consumption, domestic use, agricultural activities, and ecotourism in the Buenavista de Cuéllar Aquifer (ABC), southern Mexico. The objective of this research was to assess the health risk from fecal coliforms, as well as the non-carcinogenic risk to human health for different age groups, by studying the oral and dermal routes. The analysis of the cartography of high-priority springs (the result of Multicriteria Evaluation (MCE)), access routes, and knowledge of the areas with high social insecurity risk enabled the selection of 20 springs to be sampled. In situ parameters were measured, major ions, fecal coliforms, and Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE). The non-carcinogenic health risk results indicated a higher risk by the oral route in children (average Hazard index (HI) value of 0.6371) and a higher risk by the dermal route in adults (average HI value of 1.2378). The highest dermal risks are in the south-southeast of the study area. On the other hand, the assessment of health risks due to fecal coliforms resulted in a medium risk for the dry season and a high risk for the rainy season. The results of this research will serve as a key reference for the management and protection of springs in order to preserve human health.