Influence Of Agricultural Activities Research Articles

Preliminary data on the structure of macroinvertebrate communities and the physicochemical conditions of the Toumanguié and Bosso rivers under the influence of agricultural activities in the Aboisso department (south-east, Côte d'Ivoire)

The Toumanguié agricultural zone in the Sud-Comoé region of south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire contains several agricultural plantations and a dense and varied hydrographic system including the Bosso and Toumanguié rivers. However, knowledge of the ecological status of these two rivers is almost unavailable to the scientific community to assess the impact of agricultural activities. The purpose of this one-off study, carried out in March 2023, was to provide initial data on the physicochemical state and composition of macroinvertebrate communities in these two rivers. Four (4) sampling points were defined on these rivers. Measurements of the water physicochemical parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen transparency, conductivity and pH) were taken in situ between 06:00 and 08:00 in the morning using a multiparameter, and some water samples were taken for the determination of nutrients. Macroinvertebrates were collected using a Van Veen bucket and a dip net. Analysis of the physicochemical parameters showed that the water in the Toumanguié agricultural zone was of relatively good quality and conducive to the survival of aquatic macroinvertebrates. However, the nutrient values indicated that the water was slightly polluted as a result of the degradation of organic matter. 34 taxa belonging to 26 families and 11 orders were identified, with a predominance of insects. Diptera were predominant. The taxa commonly collected in these rivers were: Cricotopus kisantuensis, Polypedilum fuscipenne, Chironominae and Diplonychus sp. The macroinvertebrate communities in these two rivers were not very diversified but were relatively balanced in terms of diversity index values.

Phenotypic resistance not associated with knockdown mutations (kdr) in Anopheles albimanus exposed to deltamethrin in southern coastal Ecuador

BackgroundDecrease in malaria rates (e.g. incidence and cases) in Latin America maintains this region on track to achieve the goal of elimination. During the last 5 years, three countries have been certified as malaria free. However, the region fails to achieve the goal of 40% reduction on malaria rates and an increase of cases has been reported in some countries, including Ecuador. This scenario has been associated with multiple causes, such as decrease of funding to continue anti-malarial programmes and the development of insecticide resistance of the main malaria vectors. In Ecuador, official reports indicated phenotypic resistance in Aedes aegypti and Anopheles albimanus to deltamethrin and malathion, particularly in the coastal areas of Ecuador, however, information about the mechanisms of resistance have not been yet elucidated. This study aims to evaluate phenotypic response to deltamethrin and its relationship with kdr mutations in An. albimanus from two localities with different agricultural activities in southern coastal Ecuador.MethodsThe CDC bottle assay was carried out to evaluate the phenotypic status of the mosquito’s population. Sequencing the voltage gated sodium channel gene (VGSC) sought knockdown mutations (kdr) in codons 1010, 1013 and 1014 associated with resistance.ResultsPhenotypic resistance was found in Santa Rosa (63.3%) and suspected resistance in Huaquillas (82.1%); with females presenting a higher median of knockdown rate (83.7%) than males (45.6%). No statistical differences were found between the distributions of knockdown rate for the two localities (p = 0.6048) which indicates no influence of agricultural activity. Although phenotypic resistance was confirmed, genetic analysis demonstrate that this resistance was not related with the kdr mechanism of the VGSC gene because no mutations were found in codons 1010 and 1013, while in codon 1014, 90.6% showed the susceptible sequence (TTG) and 7.3% ambiguous nucleotides (TKK and TYG).ConclusionsThese results highlighted the importance of continuous monitoring of resistance in malaria vectors in Ecuador, particularly in areas that have reported outbreaks during the last years. It is also important to elucidate the mechanism involved in the development of the resistance to PYs to propose alternative insecticides or strategies for vector control in areas where resistance is present.

Influence of agricultural activities and seasonality on levels of selected physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals along River Yala in Lake Victoria Basin.

The aim of the work was to establish the effect of anthropogenic activities and seasonality on physico-chemical parameters and heavy metal levels of River Yala (RY) within RY Basin of Lake Victoria (LV), as well as the associated ecological risks. Analyses were done on the collected samples in order to establish the levels of EC, pH, DO, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, acidity, alkalinity, BOD, COD, DOC, TOC and heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cr and Cd) in RY water and sediments adjacent to Agricultural Farms during dry and wet seasons. The levels in terms of μg/mL, μS/cm (EC), NTU (turbidity) of analyzed parameters in the Agricultural Farms in water ranged from 0.01±0.00 to 121.75±15.23 (Upstream pristine sources of RY - S), 0.02±0.01 to 184.83±23.43 (Nandi Tea Estate and Kaimosi Agricultural Farms - N), 0.02±0.01 to 149.67±22.77 (Subsistence Farms - Sub), 0.02±0.01 to 209.33±18.09 (Lake Agro Limited Agricutural Farms and Yala Swamp - D) and 0.01±0.00 to 164.25±30.33 (Terminal of RY - T). The levels in μg/g of analyzed parameters in sediments ranged from 7.2±1.46 to 3342.8±538.7 (S), 9.12±0.2 to 4063.2±90.4 (N), 3.15±1.14 to 5998.5±588.4 (Sub), 2.03±0.76 to 4519.8±194.9 (D) and 2.13±0.75 to 5514.4±201.4 (T). The significant differences in the levels of analyzed parameters in water between dry and wet seasons were computed as; EC (+20.54 μS/cm), alkalinity (-2.85 μg/mL), DOC (+0.24 μg/mL), Fe (+0.58 μg/mL), Pb (+0.11 μg/mL), Zn (+0.07 μg/mL) and Cd (+0.01 μg/mL) while that for Mn in sediment samples was +163.8937 μg/g. The significantly (p ≤ 0.05) positive values indicated that wet season had more impact on the levels than dry season. There was positive correlation of zinc in water and sediments during dry and wet season. Chromium correlated positively in water and sediments during wet season. Copper and cadmium correlated negatively during dry and wet season while Mn only wet season. Results of geostatistical indices (CF, Cd, mCd, PLI, Er and RI) indicated that sediments located at regions N, D and T were highly contaminated with the heavy metals. However, a wetland at the mouth of Lake Victoria cleaned the water before it drained into the lake. Therefore, despite contamination of RY through anthropogenic activities, wetland mitigation protects LV from pollution by the river, indicating the important ecological and restorative functions played by wetlands.

Water quality and interaction between groundwater and surface water impacted by agricultural activities in an oasis-desert region

A comprehensive understanding of groundwater dynamics and its interaction with surface water under the influence of agricultural activities is essential for local agriculture, ecology and resident in arid regions, which is poorly understood in arid oasis-desert region. In our study, with emphasis on a comparison of hydrogeochemical characteristics between the oasis (irrigated) and desert (non-irrigated) areas, the water quality and groundwater-surface water interaction of a typical oasis-desert system with a rapid irrigation agriculture development were examined to clarify the effects of agricultural activities on groundwater level and quality using stable isotopic and hydrochemical data of 83 water samples. Results showed that cultivated land area increased by 121.8 % (732.4 km2) during 2000 to 2020, mainly transferring from grassland and bare land. Groundwater EC ranged from 786 to 49,400 μS/cm, with weakly alkaline. Shallow groundwater had a much higher EC than other water components. Stable isotopic and EC values of shallow groundwater in the non-irrigation areas were much greater than those in the irrigation areas, whereas middle groundwater isotopic values were more depleted in the desert than in the oasis. Shallow groundwater EC value was lower in summer, middle groundwater had higher EC in summer. Streamflow and confined water in the study area are suitable for agricultural irrigation, but phreatic water in the oasis is generally not suitable for irrigation at present. The groundwater chemistry was mainly controlled by strong evaporation, dilution, mixing, water-rock interaction and agricultural drainage. Groundwater in the irrigation areas was recharged by ephemeral runoff seepage, irrigation return flow and subsurface lateral inflow. Long-term development of irrigation agriculture (large-scale land reclamation, irrigation and groundwater pumping) in arid region has caused groundwater level decline and salinization, with a strong interaction between phreatic water and surface water. Hence, decreasing irrigation area and groundwater exploitation, carrying out gradual ecological restoration, improving water-saving efficiency and agricultural drainage system would be the viable method to restore groundwater and maintain the oasis-desert ecosystem coexistence in arid regions in the context of climate change.

Influence of Agricultural Activities on Housing and Settlement Patterns of Rural Communities in Benue State Nigeria

Physical, social, and economic elements, such as agricultural occupation, impact the forms of house and settlement patterns such as shape, space enclosure, appearance, and organization. This research aims to investigate the impact of agricultural activities on the housing and settlement patterns of the Benue people of central Nigeria. The exploratory sequential research approach was utilized where qualitative and quantitative attributes and consequences were elicited based on the Means-End Chain mode. The study was done in stages between June 2020 and March 2022, with 24 individuals first interviewed and 474 nominal survey questionnaires completed and returned. Preliminary data checks for the subsequent 241 ordinal surveys returned to reveal a significant Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity, a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.872, and a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.934. While the interviews and nominal surveys provide considerable correlations between agricultural activities and the people’s settlement patterns, statistical validations of the ordinal survey yield minute evidence of the associations. The conclusions of this study are consistent with prior studies, which connect agricultural activities to people’s house form and settlement patterns. It is recommended that authorities make transformative efforts to nucleate the fragmented communities to free up more area for mechanized farming, combat insecurity, and reduce competition for territorial resources.

Influence of agricultural activities on formation of the water flow of Samara River in 1936-2020

Agricultural lands occupy 90% of the Southern Urals. The influence of agricultural activity on the catchment area and changes in it on the runoff of melt water from the catchment areas of its steppe zone in 1936-2020 years is considered. on the example of the unregulated upper reaches of the Samara River. In the pre-war 1936-1941 years in the grass-field system of agriculture, with an increased density of soils under perennial grasses, half of the melt water entered the rivers. During the war years, with the deterioration of the culture of agriculture, the runoff coefficient increased to 0.7. After the war, with an increase in the area of arable land and the transition to autumn plowing, the retention of melt water in the fields increased with a corresponding decrease in the runoff coefficient to 0.35. Slightly changing farming system 1966-1990 years the runoff coefficient has been stabilized at an average of 0.29. Frequent land-use changes 1990-2020 years led to an unstable flow regime of melt water. The total runoff of melt water from the catchment area is determined by the ratio of its lands with different filtration coefficients of frozen soils. A method is proposed for determining in the laboratory the rate of absorption into frozen monoliths, depending on the temperature and moisture content of the soil, and its definitions are presented for the main lands of the steppe zone.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of linear erosion in the Republic of Moldova

In erosion studies, special attention was paid to identifying the characteristics of linear erosion formations. Based on different information sources (cartographic materials, aerial photographs with different years of publication, land cadasters, bibliographic sources, field research, etc.) was assessed the spatial dynamics (ravins density and raven`s formation indices by geomorphological and territorial administrative units) and temporal dynamics of morphometric and quantitative characteristics the ravines in the space of Bessarabia from the middle of the XIX century and the Republic of Moldova in the second half of the XX century, and until 2020. The results of the possible influence of agricultural activities, including arable land on the processes of the linear erosion in the middle of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century, were modeled using GIS techniques.

Mapping of the agrolandscapes in the system of balanced environmental management on the agricultural activity land

There are show regularites of the complex influence of agricultural activity on the ecological problems of natural resources of Ukraine. The relationship between agro-landscape mapping and the choice of areas of sustainable environmental management is indiating. Integrated landscape planning in the countries of the European Union is principle different from the rational use of nature in the field of crop production in Ukraine. The aim of the research is to highlight key practical issues of agrolandscape mapping as a basis for their environmental assessment and forecasting of sustainable environmental management measures to prevent land erosion and groundwater pollution. We determined the main stages of mapping of agrolandscapes, of their complex ecological ranking and assessment. The taxonomy scheme of naturalanthropogenic factors of formation of agroecological features the lands of the Pravobereshnogo Lisosteppu of Ukraine is developed. We described structures of wide-speap landscapes of agricultural lands, natural and residential areas. We are proposing the system of quantitative-qualitative indication parameters of agrolandscapes as a basis of comprehensive assessment the levels of danger of degradation of land and groundwater pollution. Expert assessments of these environmental problems are calculated for conditions of the 13 agrolandscapes, 7 natural and 3 anthropogenic landscapes. It is establishing that the ecological danger of the land erosion can reach the highest estimates both within the agrolandscapes of arable lands (17–18 balls) and forests landscapes (19 balls). High riskes of groundwater pollution is characteristic of the landscapes residential (18–20 balls) and natural of river’s floodplains (18–21 balls). We are differenting the considered landscapes into 4 categories according to the levels of dangers of two ecological problems. There are proposed diverse territorian models of balanced environmental management which accord peculiarites of dangers those ecological problems. We are presente the fragment of the small-scale map of the directions of balanced environmental management in central part the Pravobereshnogo Lisostepu of Ukraine.

Chemical composition of rain at a regional site on the South African Highveld

Relatively limited data have been published on the chemical composition of wet deposition for South Africa, which is considered an important source region for atmospheric pollutants. Concentrations and wet deposition fluxes of ionic species determined in rain samples collected from December 2014 to April 2018 at a regional site, Welgegund, are presented, and contextualised by wet deposition composition in the north-eastern interior of South Africa. 89% of rain samples collected during the sampling period complied with the data quality objectives of the World Meteorological Organisation. The total ionic concentration of rainwater at Welgegund was similar to that at two regional sites located within proximity of industrial activities. The pH of rainwater (4.80) was comparable to that determined at two rural background sites, which indicated increased neutralisation. Similarly to the other sites located in the South African interior, SO42- was the most abundant species in rain, with concentrations thereof in the same order as SO42- levels determined at the two industrially influenced sites. Lower sulphur and nitrogen fluxes at Welgegund were attributed to lower average annual rainfall. The anthropogenic (industrial) source group had the largest contribution to wet deposition chemical composition, which signified the influence of major source regions in the South African interior that impact Welgegund. Relatively large contributions were also calculated from marine and crustal sources. The influence of agricultural activities was also evident, while biomass burning had the lowest contribution due to open biomass burning occurring mainly during the dry season.

Structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in streams of a sub-basin in the Pampa Biome, Southern Brazil

The Piratinim River is located in the northwest of Rio Grande do Sul, and represents an important effluent from the Uruguay River, with streams located far from urbanized areas, in conditions similar to those of environmental integrity, but under the influence of agricultural activities. In this study, we aim at investigating the structure of the aquatic macroinvertebrate community in streams of the Piratinim river basin by observing both spatial and local scales. The sampling was carried out in six streams distributed in three regions (upper, middle and lower) of the basin, thus exploring its upstream, intermediate and downstream stretches, during spring and autumn. Macroinvertebrates were collected using aquatic dipnets and were identified at the family level; trophic-functional categories were established according to the classification adapted to the state of Paraná. The spatial and temporal variations of the groups and of the biotic attributes (density, richness, diversity and equitability) were subjected to Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric tests anda posterioriDunn’s tests. The abiotic variables were obtained to verify possible influence on the composition of the macroinvertebrate community, evaluated through a Canonical Correspondence Analysis. We sampled 11,564 macroinvertebrate individuals from 72 taxa, and found a predominance of the collector-filter trophic group. Abundance and richness were different between streams; the highest densities were found in the streams located in the upper region of the watershed (Chuní and Itú). The highest taxon richness was found in the lower region of the watershed (Guaracapa stream), and the lowest richness was found in the two streams for the intermediate region (Santana and Ximbocu). Diversity and equitability did not vary; temporal variations were not found. Canonical correspondence analysis explained 31.7% of the data variability. The main environmental variables that influenced macroinvertebrates distribution were temperature, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, altitude and extension of the riparian forest. Seasonality and the longitudinal gradient along the basin represented determining factors for the structure and distribution of the macroinvertebrate community in the tributary streams of the Piratinim River.

Agricultural activities impact on soil and sediment fluorine and perfluorinated compounds in an endemic fluorosis area

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are organo-fluorine compounds which have been identified at significant levels in soils due to their widespread usage in industrial and commercial applications. However, few studies are available regarding the occurrence of PFCs in the environment of endemic fluorosis areas. To address the issue, soils collected from an endemic fluorosis area of southwestern China were analyzed for the distribution of fluorine and 21 kinds of PFCs. The average water-soluble fluorine concentration in cultivated soil (4.87 mg kg−1) was significantly higher than that in uncultivated soil (3.15 mg kg−1), which mainly ascribed to the utilization of fluorine-enriched fertilizers during agricultural practices. Concentrations of ΣPFCs in all soils ranged from 0.508 to 6.83 ng g−1, with an average of 2.81 ng g−1, dominated by perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Highest ΣPFCs was found in the soil samples collected from cropland with intensive agricultural activities. Long-chain PFCs, including four perfluoroalkylcarboxylic acids (PFCAs, C ≥ 8) and one perfluoroalkylsulfonic acids (PFSAs) (perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), C8), exhibited high levels in soils, probably due to their higher hydrophobicity and lower water-solubility than short-chain PFCs. While in sediments, short-chain PFCAs were the dominant compounds. Based on correlation analysis, the relationship between total fluorine and PFCs was insignificant, and soil organic matter was a relevant factor affecting PFCs distribution in soils. This study is expected to present a more comprehensive information about fluorine contamination under the influence of agricultural activities in an endemic fluorosis area.

The Heavy Metal Status of Some Agricultural Soils

In order to evaluate the loadings of some agricultural soils with heavy metals, field studies were made across the Iasi County. The heavy metals concentration range were as follows: 15.4 - 36 mg/kg (Cu), 49 - 115 mg/kg (Zn), 7.4 - 20.4 mg/kg (Pb), 0.13 - 0.43 mg/kg (Cd), 6.9 - 13.15 mg/kg (Co), 25 - 100 mg/kg (Ni) and 463 - 798 mg/kg (Mn), respectively. The median of the heavy metals decreased in the next order: Mn (589) ] Zn (67) ] Ni (46) ]Cu (22,1)]Pb (12.1)]Co (10.2)]Cd (0.32). The studied heavy metal median was higher than the same metal median from European soils. According to the Romanian legislation, the normal values are exceeding in 13% the samples for Zn, 73% for Cu, 93% for Ni, and in one case, the value of Ni exceeded the alert threshold (75 mg/kg). A direct relationship between Cu, Pb, Zn and Co was noticed, which may indicate a common source of these metals. The Pearson`s coefficients of these elements were: Pb-Cu (0.863), Cu-Zn (0.826), Pb-Zn (0.74), Cu-Co (0.730), Pb-Co (0.703). According to the values of Pearson correlation coefficient, the significant positive correlations were identified between Cu, Zn, Pb, Co and clay content, while the same metals are highly negative correlated with CaCO3 and fine sand contents. In case of Pb, Co, and Mn no influence of agricultural activities can be detected, wich suggestes that geogenic factors control the contents of these heavy metals. The Cu content exhibited a positive correlation with total Nitrogen, while the Cd content showed a positive significant relationship only with Km content. On the other hand, the Ni content exhibited correlation with both Pm and Km concentrations. The correlations of Cu-Nt, Cd-Km, Ni-Pm, and Ni-Km could be an index of the anthropogenic input of Cd, Cu, and Ni from the use of fertilizers.

Carbon Stock in Sandy Soils of Pine Forests in the West of Russia

A comparative assessment of carbon accumulation in the soils of pine forests in western Russia (the Republic of Karelia, the Karelian Isthmus, and Bryansk region) developed on coarse-textured parent materials has been made. The total carbon stock in the litter and upper soil layer (0–50 cm) varied from 47 t/ha in the soils of pine forests of Bryansk region to 116 t/ha in the soils of pine forests of the Karelian Isthmus. It has been shown that the main factors of carbon accumulation in the soils of pine forests in western Russia were the climate, parent materials, vegetation, agricultural activity, and fires. The influence of climatic conditions has been clearly manifested in the levels of carbon accumulation in the litter and in the upper humus-accumulative soil horizons. In the pine litter within the zone of mixed forests (Bryansk region), the level of carbon accumulation was the lowest, whereas the litter layer of pine forests in the northern taiga (Karelia) has the highest stock of carbon. At the same time, the lowest carbon stocks in the upper mineral soil layers has been noted for the soils of northern taiga forests, which had no humus-accumulative mineral horizon. The variability of carbon stocks in the litter layer was largely controlled by the C/N ratio, as well as by the fraction of deciduous undergrowth and grasses producing high-quality litter. The influence of agricultural activity on soil carbon stock in pine forests was especially pronounced on the Karelian Isthmus with the high agricultural activity in the past, as well as in Bryansk region, where pine forests are formed from pine plantations. The effect of fires on soil carbon stock was most pronounced in heather and lingonberry pine forests of the northern taiga of Karelia.

Modelling of nitrogen concentrations in water from drained peat soils

Abstract In addition to traditional sources, drained peat soils have been found to be a significant source of nitrogen in Estonia. As a result, supplementary measures are required to improve water quality in rivers. Modelling is a widespread method to select means for improving water quality. At present, modelling of nitrogen in rivers has been concentrated on the influence of agricultural activity. However, drained peat can increase nitrogen concentrations even without fertilization and farming activities. This investigation describes the attempt to model water quality in the watershed with a large share of drained peat soils. The results showed a good alignment between measured and modelled nitrate concentrations using the MACRO and the SOILN for MACRO models. Some measures to improve water quality were tested using these models.

СОВРЕМЕННЫЙ ТРЕНД ЭРОЗИОННО-АККУМУЛЯТИВНЫХ ПРОЦЕССОВ В МАЛОМ РАСПАХАННОМ ВОДОСБОРЕ, РЕСПУБЛИКА ТАТАРСТАН, "Геоморфология"

Анализ аккумуляции наносов в днищах долин первого порядка позволяет дать достаточно надежную количественную оценку общей интенсивности и временн й изменчивости эрозионных процессов на сельскохозяйственных землях, подходящих практически вплотную к этим долинам. С использованием радиоактивного цезия-137 в качестве хрономаркера, а также усовершенствованных эрозионных моделей USLE и Государственного гидрологического института, изучение аккумулированных наносов в днище малой долины “Темева речка” (площадь водосбора - 1.13 км2), расположенной в северо-западной части Республики Татарстан (бассейн р. Мёша), показало заметное снижение темпов смыва почв с пахотной части водосбора за последние десятилетия. Так, если за период 1963-1986 гг. темпы аккумуляции в днище малой долины смытого со склонов водосбора почвенного материала составляли 0.92-1.81 см/год, то за период 1987-2015 гг. - 0.17-0.50 см/год, т.е. сократились как минимум в 3-5 раз. Причиной отмеченного уменьшения темпов смыва почв и аккумуляции наносов явилось сокращение объемов поверхностного стока со склонов в период снеготаяния, вызванное повышением температуры воздуха в весеннее время года, уменьшением глубины промерзания почв и снижением частоты выпадения экстремальных ливней со слоем 40-50 мм. Влияние хозяйственной деятельности на уменьшение темпов эрозионно-аккумулятивных процессов было, по всей видимости, несущественным, хотя некоторое изменение севооборотов с увеличением доли многолетних трав, очевидно, повлияло на снижение темпов смыва в теплое время года. Данная эрозионная тенденция и климатические причины, ее обусловившие, имели региональный характер и ранее выявлены в ряде регионов южной половины Европейской территории России.

Impacts of Agricultural and Reclamation Practices on Wetlands in the Amur River Basin, Northeastern China

Large-scale land reclamation, agricultural activities, and unsustainable practices in agricultural production have caused a lot of damage to natural wetlands in the Amur River Basin since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. We studied several factors to address the conflicts between agricultural development and natural wetland conservation. We also investigated the effects of canalization, crop planting area, agricultural machinery and pesticides’ usage on the wetland environment. In 2010, the total area of natural wetlands was approximately 7.10 × 104 km2; this value was less than half the total area of natural wetlands in 1970. Canalization accompanied by land reclamation was identified as the main cause of the loss of natural wetlands. Binary regression analyses indicated that when the increments of ditches used by the state farms on the Sanjiang Plain increased by 1 km, or when the increment of cultivated land increased by 1 km2, the amount of natural wetland area lost was 0.227 and 0.557 km2, respectively. The influences of agricultural activities on wetlands were determined by assessing the main conflicts and providing suggestions to establish a new type of wetland-friendly green agriculture with a view to reduce negative impacts of agriculture on wetlands in the Amur River Basin.

Influence of agricultural activities in the structure and metabolic functionality of paramo soil samples in Colombia studied using a metagenomics analysis in dynamic state

Soil is one of the most variable and complex habitats on earth where microbial communities and their metabolic capabilities are greatly affected by agricultural activities. Nevertheless, the impact of these activities has been poorly studied and more detailed analyses are required in order to understand soil ecosystems at both a structural and metabolic level. Here, we conducted a detailed metagenomics analysis to establish the effect of anthropogenic interventions on microbial communities and on the biogeochemical cycle dynamics in soil. Our results suggest that the agricultural activities lead to shifts in the structure of microbial communities characterized by an increase in ammonia-oxidizing archaea, bacteria with copiotrophic features, and ascomycete fungi. The most important biogeochemical processes were related to the carbon and nitrogen cycles. These shifts in the composition of microbial communities led to a loss in the metabolic functional diversity, which was reflected by the lower metabolic activity found. On the other hand, in the non-intervened soil, an increased metabolic activity was observed. The biogeochemical cycles behaved in an interdependent and synergistic way. We were able to elucidate how soil ecosystems dynamics is influenced by agricultural activities in a paramo ecosystem in Colombia.

Modelling of Redox Conditions in the Shallow Groundwater: A Case Study of Agricultural Areas in the Poyang Lake Basin, China

Various natural and anthropogenic factors affect the formation of the groundwater chemical composition and geochemical conditions in agricultural areas. However, it is often difficult to evaluate the role of individual factors in these processes. The article is focused on the research of the alteration of redox conditions in the shallow groundwater of the Poyang Lake basin under the influence of agricultural activity with help of thermodynamic modelling. The thermodynamic modelling and field observations demonstrate that the reducing conditions result from joint effects of anthropogenic factors, organic or NH4–fertiliser usage, and proper natural conditions, such as low-level topography, which, in its turn, leads to the decrease in water exchange rate. The modelling also denotes that fertiliser usage may result in the clay minerals formation at lower concentrations of main clay-forming components in aqueous solution than the ones under natural conditions.

Displaying the agricultural load on the basin system of the Bystrica river (Ivano-Frankivsk region) on thematic maps of the geoenvironmental atlas

The article describes the methodology and the results of thematic mapping of the volume of agricultural activities in the basin system of Bystrica and covers its influence on the geoenvironmental state of basin landscapes. Resulting thematic maps are an integral part of a large-scale digital geoenvironmental atlas, the concept of which was substantiated by us earlier and which is being created for the mountain river basin in the Ukrainian Carpathians. Maps of the agricultural use of land resources reflect the structure of the land cover of the Bystrica basin at the level of sub-basin systems identified by the criteria of the EU Water Framework Directive. They show the share of agricultural lands in total area, the share of arable land in the land fund in general and in the agricultural lands in particular, the share of meadows, pastures, and abandoned lands in the structure of agricultural lands of basin systems of various ranks. An assessment of the influence of agricultural activities on the geoenvironmental state of the Bystrica basin system was carried out. The system of measures aimed at optimizing the state and functioning of this basin system and its subsystems is substantiated.

Influence of agricultural activities, forest fires and agro-industries on air quality in Thailand

Annual and monthly-based emission inventories in northern, central and north-eastern provinces in Thailand, where agriculture and related agro-industries are very intensive, were estimated to evaluate the contribution of agricultural activity, including crop residue burning, forest fires and related agro-industries on air quality monitored in corresponding provinces. The monthly-based emission inventories of air pollutants, or, particulate matter (PM), NOx and SO2, for various agricultural crops were estimated based on information on the level of production of typical crops: rice, corn, sugarcane, cassava, soybeans and potatoes using emission factors and other parameters related to country-specific values taking into account crop type and the local residue burning period. The estimated monthly emission inventory was compared with air monitoring data obtained at monitoring stations operated by the Pollution Control Department, Thailand (PCD) for validating the estimated emission inventory. The agro-industry that has the greatest impact on the regions being evaluated, is the sugar processing industry, which uses sugarcane as a raw material and its residue as fuel for the boiler. The backward trajectory analysis of the air mass arriving at the PCD station was calculated to confirm this influence. For the provinces being evaluated which are located in the upper northern, lower northern and northeast in Thailand, agricultural activities and forest fires were shown to be closely correlated to the ambient PM concentration while their contribution to the production of gaseous pollutants is much less.