Level Of Gland Research Articles

A new multi-dimensional framework considering environmental impacts to assess green development level of cultivated land during 1990 to 2018 in China

China has achieved food security in the last three decades through massive use of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation water, resulting in negative environmental impacts to the cultivated land use system (CLUS). Hence, it is urgent to assess the green development level of cultivated land (GDL-CL). The objective of this study was to develop a new multi-dimensional framework considering environmental impacts to assess GDL-CL based on “elements – processes – dimensions – goals – drivers” according to the interaction between the soil-water-plant-atmosphere system (SWPAS) and CLUS. The entropy weight method, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and the Geodetector method were applied to provincial data in China from 1990 to 2018 to determine the spatiotemporal evolution, correlation, and quantitative attributes, respectively, of GDL-CL. The results indicated that the changing agricultural input-output farming patterns in China during 1990–2018 followed U-shaped trend in GDL-CL that reached an inflection point in 1998. In addition, GDL-CL differed significantly between the eastern and western regions in China, with the eastern areas showing an obviously high-high agglomeration and the western areas showing an apparently low-low agglomeration. The reason behind this phenomenon is that climate and socio-economic factors such as temperature, precipitation, sunshine, assets, markets, education, employment, and policies profoundly and extensively influenced GDL-CL in different regions during 1990–2018. However, the contribution of climate factors to GDL-CL overtook the socio-economic factors in 2010–2018. Therefore, this study suggests that priority should be given to optimizing production modes of cultivation, coordinating regional GDL-CL contradictions, and warning of climate change to sustainably manage cultivated land.

Comparisonal Analysis Of D35 Bulldozer And GD300A-1 Motor Grader As A Grade Tool Reviewing From Time

In the sub work of the Nglinggis access road, there is a work of embankment of soil fromselected local materials. This work includes taking material from the stock pile, transporting itto the site, leveling the soil and compacting the soil. Soil leveling in this project uses BulldozerD35 as a leveling tool. In doing land leveling work there is another method that can be used,namely the method of heavy equipment in the form of a Motor Grader. In the condition of theland for the Nglinggis access road, the type that is suitable for use is the Motor Grader GD 300A-1. The use of heavy equipment can affect the estimated time on a job. Therefore, the selectionof an efficient tool for the job is very important. From the specifications, the speed of the GD300 A-1 Motor Grader is superior to the D35 Bulldozer. The purpose of this study is to analyzethe comparison between Motor Grader and Bulldozer as a leveling tool, it can be seen whichtool is the most efficient if used as a leveling tool in earthworks at the Nglinggis Access RoadWorks at the Tugu Dam Spillway Construction Project, Kab. Trenggalek. The results showedthat based on the average waiting time, the Bulldozer D35 was 0.31 minutes faster than theMotor Grader GD 300 A-1 in each cycle. And based on time weighted average, the BulldozerD35 is 0.03 minutes faster than the Motor Grader GD 300 A-1 on each cycle.

Identifying the contradiction between the cultivated land fragmentation and the construction land expansion from the perspective of urban-rural differences

Land use contradictions and conflicts between arable and construction land areas have long been major topics in the field of land use research. However, few studies have explored the impact of differences in development between urban and rural areas on the amount and landscape level of arable land. In this study, two decades of data were combined to classify the Yangtze River Delta mega-city cluster area, where urbanization has been evident in China, into urban and rural areas. Based on this, we analyzed the differences in the changes in the amount of arable land caused by the expansion of urban and rural construction land. In this study, a comprehensive framework of arable land fragmentation indicators was constructed and the geographically weighted regression model was introduced to detect spatial and temporal dynamic change patterns of arable land fragmentation caused by different urbanization processes in urban and rural areas. The results show the following: (a) The expansion of urban and rural construction land caused arable land loss, and both contributed non-negligibly to arable land loss. (b) The distribution of the arable land fragmentation index showed obvious spatial heterogeneity, and its low-value area corresponded to a lower level of urban/rural construction land development. However, its high-value area did not show a stable dependence on the level of urban/rural construction land development. (c) Changes in urban and rural built-up land were the driving factors for changes in the degree of arable land fragmentation. In general, the expansion of the urban fringe increased the fragmentation of arable land, and the intensive expansion of urban centers curbed the fragmentation of arable land. However, rural construction land exhibited a stronger and more widespread impact than urban areas as a whole. This study contributes new ideas for arable land conservation policies under the growing mechanization of agriculture, especially in areas with large differences in development between urban and rural areas. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for rational planning of construction land in rural areas. The results of this study can provide references for urban-rural development planning, rural revitalization, and implementation of arable land protection.

Transcriptomic and metabolic signatures of diatom plasticity to light fluctuations.

Unlike in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, light fields in oceans fluctuate due to both horizontal current and vertical mixing. Diatoms thrive and dominate the phytoplankton community in these fluctuating light fields. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate diatom acclimation and adaptation to light fluctuations are poorly understood. Here, we performed transcriptome sequencing, metabolome profiling, and 13C-tracer labeling on the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The diatom acclimated to constant light conditions was transferred to six different light conditions, including constant light (CL5d), short-term (1 h) high light (sHL1h), and short-term (1 h) and long-term (5 days) mild or severe light fluctuation conditions (mFL1h, sFL1h, mFL5d, and sFL5d) that mimicked land and ocean light levels. We identified 2,673 transcripts (25% of the total expressed genes) expressed differentially under different fluctuating light regimes. We also identified 497 transcription factors, 228 not reported previously, which exhibited higher expression under light fluctuations, including 7 with a light-sensitive PAS domain (Per-period circadian protein, Arnt-aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator protein, Sim-single-minded protein) and 10 predicted to regulate genes related to light-harvesting complex proteins. Our data showed that prolonged preconditioning in severe light fluctuation enhanced photosynthesis in P. tricornutum under this condition, as evidenced by increased oxygen evolution accompanied by the upregulation of Rubisco and light-harvesting proteins. Furthermore, severe light fluctuation diverted the metabolic flux of assimilated carbon preferentially toward fatty acid storage over sugar and protein. Our results suggest that P. tricornutum use a series of complex and different responsive schemes in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism to optimize their growth under mild and severe light fluctuations. These insights underscore the importance of using more intense conditions when investigating the resilience of phytoplankton to light fluctuations.

HUBUNGAN KONDISI SOSIAL EKONOMI MASYARAKAT PETANI TERHADAP DEGRADASI LAHAN DI DAS ALO POHU PROVINSI GORONTALO

The purpose of the study was to analyze the socioeconomic conditions of the community and their relationship to land degradation in the Alo Pohu watershed, Gorontalo Province. The research method used in this study is a survey method with a total population of 79,828 people. The sampling method is a purposive sampling method with the criteria of people working as farmers determining the number of samples based on the Slovin formula, and the number of samples is 392 people. The socioeconomic parameters studied are education level, knowledge, income, household expenses, land ownership, and the number of dependents. In addition, perceptions and parameters of land degradation are determined based on the criticality level of the land. The data collection method is a questionnaire method. The data analysis used is quantitative and descriptive. A cross-table analyzes the relationship between socioeconomic conditions and land degradation. The results showed three socioeconomic parameters that significantly affected land degradation in the Alo Pohu watershed: education level, land ownership, and knowledge of critical land.

Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Antimony in Typical Urban Soil

In order to study the distribution characteristics and potential risk of antimony (Sb) in urban soil, the concentrations of soil Sb in four different land use types were analyzed based on the data of 1670 soil samples with different vertical profiles in 102 plots in Shanghai. The risks were evaluated using the potential ecological risk index method and health risk assessment model. The results showed that the average ω(Sb) in the study area was 0.52 mg·kg-1, and the content of soil Sb gradually declined with the rise in soil profile depth. Sb was enriched in surface soil, which indicated that human activities had caused disturbance to the distribution of Sb in the soil. The content of Sb in the surface soil of industrial land was higher than that of residential land and commercial land, and the content of Sb in agricultural land was the lowest. The single-factor pollution index of industrial land was the highest, reaching a slight pollution level, whereas the residential land, commercial land, and agricultural land were at even-clean or clean levels, respectively. The whole region showed slight ecological risk, with the potential ecological risk index ranging from 4.23 to 7.61. The potential ecological risk level of industrial land was moderate, which needs to be addressed. The results of health risk assessment showed that the non-carcinogenic risk of Sb in the soil was low; however, it is of great concern to residents, especially children, when on residential land.

Evaluation of effectiveness of supervised classification algorithms in land cover classification using ASTER images-A case study from the Mankweng (Turfloop) Area and its environs, Limpopo Province, South Africa

The production of land cover maps using supervised classification algorithms is one of the most common applications of remote sensing. In this study, the effectiveness of supervised classification algorithms in land cover classification using ASTER data was evaluated in the Mankweng Area and its environs. The false colour composite image generated from combination of band 1, 2 and 3 in red, green and blue, respectively, was used to generate training classes for six land cover types (waterbody, forest, vegetation, Duiwelskloof leucogranite, Turfloop granite and built-up land). These were used to construct land cover maps using eight supervised classification algorithms: Maximum Likelihood, Minimum Distance, Support Vector Machine, Mahalanobis Distance, Parallelepiped, Neural Network, Spectral Angle Mapper and Spectral Information Divergence. To evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithms, the land cover maps were subjected to accuracy assessment to determine precision of the algorithms in accurately classifying the land cover types and level of confidence that can be attributed to the land cover maps. Most algorithms poorly performed in classifying spatially overlapping land cover types without abrupt boundaries. This indicates that the environmental conditions and distribution of land cover types can affect the performance of certain classification algorithms, and thus need to be considered prior to selection of algorithms. However, Support Vector Machine and Minimum Distance proved to be the two most effective algorithms as they provided better producer’s and user’s accuracy in the range of 80-100% for all land cover types, which represent good classification.

Factors Influencing Water Saving Measures and Water-Use Efficiency of Wheat Growers in Sindh, Pakistan

As the food supplies will have to be increased according to the growing population, water demand will be on the rise in the future. Therefore, improved water consumption patterns must be followed to match future food demands. The paper analyzes the farmer’s adoption of improved irrigation technology to avoid excessive irrigation water use in cultivating crops. In addition, this paper also investigated the factors influencing the water-use efficiency of the farmers. A total of 390 farmers who grew wheat crops were selected from the Naushahro Feroz and Benazirabad districts of Sindh, Pakistan. Socio-economic variables and efficiency scores of the respondents were taken as variables, and both binomial logistic and Tobit regression models were applied. Results indicated that household head’s experience and formal education have a positive and significant impact on their decision to adopt improved irrigation and their efficiency scores. The elasticities reveal that a 1 % increase in experience of farming possesses the probability of lining the water courses by 23%. Whereas, with the change of 1% in the formal education of respondents, the tendency to laser land leveling changed by 0.1%. In comparison, the distance of the farm from the canal and the area of the farm bears a negative impact on water conserving measures opted by them and their water-use efficiency scores. It was found that proper lining of the water courses, usage of drought tolerant varieties of crops, irrigation technology adoption, and laser land leveling were the measures taken to avoid the excessive use of irrigation water. These measures were found to significantly impact the water-use efficiency scores of sampled farmers. These findings might be helpful for researchers and policymakers to realize such factors influencing the adoption of farmers and their farm efficiency.

High-Resolution Marine Seismic Imaging of the Seattle Fault Zone: Near-Surface Insights into Fault Zone Geometry, Quaternary Deformation, and Long-Term Evolution

ABSTRACTThe Seattle fault zone (SFZ) is a north-directed thrust fault system that underlies the greater Seattle metropolitan area. Evidence of past land level changes, landslides, liquefaction, and a local tsunami indicate that this 70-km-long fault system can host up to M 7–7.5 earthquakes. Both the geometry and earthquake recurrence of the SFZ are debated and surveys of the shallow subsurface have not yet been incorporated into deeper crustal-scale structural interpretations, especially where the SFZ cuts across marine portions of the Puget Lowland. Here we use a new high-resolution marine seismic reflection dataset to image fault-related deformation in Quaternary sediments and Tertiary bedrock throughout Puget Sound and Lake Washington. We use this perspective of shallow geology as a link between existing crustal-scale geophysical insights into fault geometry at depth and paleoseismological observations of faulting at the surface and propose a refined structural model for the SFZ. We interpret that our new seismic reflection data in the Rich Passage area of Puget Sound images evidence of an inactive, south-dipping strand of the SFZ, which is overprinted by Quaternary folding and slip along north-dipping backthrusts within the hanging wall of a blind, south-dipping fault located 6 km farther north. To explain these results, we propose that the SFZ is a normal sequence fault propagation fold that has stepped northward through time, and we show the plausibility of this model through trishear forward modeling. Growth strata and faulting imaged in Quaternary sediments in Lake Washington and Rich Passage are consistent with the spatial distribution of folding and backthrusting that occurred during an M 7–7.5 earthquake in A.D. 900–930, corroborating existing evidence that the SFZ has been active throughout the Quaternary.

The biome inventory – Standardizing global biogeographical land units

AbstractMotivationThe subdivision of the Earth's terrestrial surface into different biomes, ecozones, bio‐climatic realms or other large ecological land units is an essential reference for global biogeographical and ecological studies. Various classification schemes exist. These differ significantly in terms of the considered criteria for classification and the underlying methodology of class assignments. Evident divergences between global biome concepts are elusive, weakening hereon based analyses and assumptions. Compilation and standardization are essential for obtaining a framework that enables the comparison of different products. To address this need, we created a catalogue of standardized categorial biome maps comprising 31 different global products based on various methodological approaches. These products were processed individually to facilitate their use in large‐scale biogeographical and ecological analyses.Main types of variables containedWe provide a unified RasterStack containing 31 terrestrial biome and land‐cover classifications in different layers. Additional ancillary and processing information is allocated.Spatial location and grainGlobal, 10 km × 10 km grain size in equal‐area Mollweide projection.Major taxa and level of measurementBiomes, ecozones, bio‐climatic zones, and ecological land units.Software formatGeoTiff.

The importance, methods of land leveling and analysis of equipment for their implementation

It has been proved in the world and our country’s agriculture that the levelling of arable lands helps the land to improve the reclamation of lands and reduce the amount of water for irrigation. According to agro-technical requirements, the height of irregularities on the surface of the fields should not exceed ± 5 cm. Experiments and research show that crop yields decreased by 1.5-1.7 times and irrigation water consumption increased by 1.7-3.4 times when the surface roughness of the fields was ± 10-13 cm. According to the research carried out by E. B. Velichko and B. B. Shumakova, in areas where the height of irregularities reached ± 3 cm, the yield increased by 1.5 times compared to ± 5 cm, and irrigation water decreased by 1.6 times. In areas with such unevenness of ± 2 cm, the yield increased by an additional 19.9 c / ha (47%), the consumption of irrigation water for the production of 1 ton of rice decreased by 36% or 1621 m3 of the economy was achieved.

Kajian Penataan Lahan Pasca Tambang Diorit CV. Mineral Cahaya Bumi Kecamatan Sungai Kunyit Kabupaten Mempawah Provinsi Kalimantan Barat

Diorite mining activities have the potential to cause environmental degradation. Therefore, there is a need for reclamation. Reclamation is part of environmental control in implementing Good Mining and Operational Practice. One of the stages in the implementation of reclamation is the arrangement of post-mining land. The soil arrangement system is divided into 3 (three) systems, namely the soil leveling system, the guludan system, and the pot system. Land management system based on top soil needs. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the land management system and determine the optimal topsoil stocking system. The method used in this research is a qualitative method of analysis. Data processing uses AutoCAD 2021 software and ArcGis 10.8 software. The cross-sectional method is used in data processing to determine the availability of topsoil and topsoil in the study area. The results obtained in this study are (1) The planned area of the reclamation area is ± 5.29 hectares; (2) The overburden stocking volume is 35,397.56 LCM; (3) The volume of distribution of topsoil using the land leveling method is 13,387.96 LCM.

Identification of Key Adaptation Practices adopted by Wheat Growing Farmers of Punjab, Pakistan: A Qualitative Approach

Climate change has now become a subject of concern for the whole world especially for developing countries. According to Global Climate Risk Index (GCRI) 2021, Pakistan lies at eight number amongst top ten countries of world which are facing severe impacts of climatic changes. Climate change has serious repercussions on the agriculture sector of Pakistan. Mitigation and Adaptation are considered to be options by climate change experts to counter negative impacts of climate change. By keeping above in view, the objective of this study was to identify adaptation practices adopted by farmers in Punjab, Pakistan. The Primary data was used and collected through qualitative data collection techniques i.e. In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Based on the research plan, five IDIs were conducted with experts related to agriculture sector and with farmers of study area. Further, five FGDs were conducted in five selected districts of the study area. Based upon discussions with experts and with local farmers, key adaptation practices adopted by majority of farmers were: Rice crop residues incorporation, Change in sowing time, sowing method for wheat crop (Broadcast, Ridge sowing), certified seed varieties of wheat, change of seed rate, deep ploughing using chisel plough, laser land levelling (LLL), application of potash, changing the number of irrigations, application of farm yard manure (FYM), drainage of water from field (pumps or other means) and use of weather forecasting. NVivo qualitative data analysis software was used to depict this qualitative discussion into two types of structures i.e., Word Tree and Word Cloud.

Status and Social Capital: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Investigation of Flood Survivors in South Punjab, Pakistan

A growing body of evidence underscores that social capital mitigates the impact of natural hazards such as floods. But we know less about the distribution of social ties in developing countries regularly hit by shocks. Our study examined the differences between demographic groups in South Punjab, Pakistan affected by the 2010 floods, comparing respondents’ levels of social capital measured through proxies such as received social support, perceived community cohesion, accessibility to leadership, and general level of trust. We carried out univariate and multivariate analyses of factors including gender, education, occupation, landholding, family size, annual income, number of livestock, and home stability. Using data collected in face-to-face interviews with 450 flood survivors, our analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the flood victims’ scores on all four scales based on gender and family size. However, education, occupation, landholding, annual income, and home stability statistically correlated with levels of social capital. Respondents with high levels of education, high levels of land, higher home stability, and a government job typically had higher scores in all four measurements of social ties. Our results show strong inequality in the distribution of social capital, with better connections and assistance coming to those who already have better socioeconomic positions in society.

EFISIENSI DAN EFEKTIVITAS PELAKSANAAN PEMUNGUTAN PAJAK BUMI DAN BANGUNAN PERKOTAAN DAN PEDESAAN (PBB P2) DI KABUPATEN LOMBOK TIMUR (Studi Kasus Pada Kecamatan Selong)

The purpose of this study is to (1) determine the level of efficiency of collecting Land tax and Urban and Rural Buildings in Selong District, East Lombok Regency, (2) find out the effectiveness level of Land and Urban and Rural Building Tax Collection in Selong District, East Lombok Regency, (3) find out the factors that affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of the collection of Land and Urban and Rural Building Tax (PBB P2) in Selong District, East Lombok Regency.
 This type of research is a case study conducted in Selong District, East Lombok Regency. The data collection techniques used are interviews and documentation, while the data analysis techniques used are quantitative data analysis techniques. Quantitative data analysis is used to calculate the level of efficiency and effectiveness of collecting Land tax and Urban and Rural Buildings in Selong District (2015-2018). Through the interview obtained the factors affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of collecting the Land and Building Tax.
 The results showed that (1) the efficiency of collecting Land and Building Tax in Selong District, East Lombok Regency in 2015 was 0.621%, in 2016 it was 0.313%, 2017 was 0.526%, and in 2018 it was 0.598%. Thus the collection of Land and Building Tax in Selong District, East Lombok Regency runs very efficiently. (2) The effectiveness rate of land and building tax collection in Selong District, East Lombok Regency in 2015 was 60.56% in 2016 at 64.94%, 2017 at 66.95% and 2018 at 65.15%. Thus, the collection of Land and Building Tax in Selong District, East Lombok Regency runs quite effectively. (3) The most influencing factor in collecting land tax and urban and rural buildings in Selong district, East Lombok Regency is that with good communication, it is hoped that taxpayers can better know the importance of land and building tax revenues for the regions.

Assessment of Water Productivity Enhancement and Sustainability Potential of Different Resource Conservation Technologies: A Review in the Context of Pakistan

Agriculture is the major economic sector in Asian countries and the majority of their population depends on it. In addition to the largest irrigation system in the Indus basin, Pakistan is suffering from water shortages that are affecting the overall crop production of the country. Different resource conservation technologies (RCTs) such as precision land leveling (PLL), raised bed planting (RBP), and different high-efficiency irrigation systems (HEISs) can be opted for better water productivity. In this study, the potential of these RCTs has been explored to enhance production and save irrigation water through their sustainable adoption. Based on studies by different researchers, water savings up to 47% and yield increases up to 35% have been reported under PLL, while water savings up to 50% and about 10–33% yield increases were observed under RBP. Similarly, under different HEISs, water savings up to 80% and yield increases up to 53% have been reported compared with crops sown under conventional farming. Based on the findings of the researchers regarding RCTs, these have been proved as progressive sowing techniques for better productivity under the limited available water scenario. The detailed review in this paper concludes that RCTs resulting in the improvement of gravity irrigation methods, viz., PLL and RBP, have a great potential of adoption and water productivity improvement at the regional scale in developing countries such as Pakistan, while high-cost HEISs can also be promoted at limited scale among progressive farmers for high-value agriculture.

ADOPTION OF POTATO CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGY BY THE POTATO GROWERS UNDER CONTRACT FARMING

Most of the farm operators being small and marginal farmers in India, there are problems in getting quality raw material for processing, marketing, and distribution, especially in perishable high value crops but contract farming which was restricted, largely, to seed production earlier, spread to perishable produce and has now become the dominant and growing mode of raw material production and procurement co-ordination among the processors and fresh produce market and exporters. Potato is very important perishable high value crop in North Gujarat Agro-climatic zone of Gujarat state with the cultivating area of 97,204 hector in six districts of North Gujarat (Anon.2014-15). Therefore, the present investigation was conducted in the North Gujarat Agro climatic Zone of Gujarat state. Two districts viz., Banaskantha and Sabarkantha occupy the highest area under potato cultivation in North Gujarat and hence, were selected purposively for study. Ten potato growers were randomly selected from twenty villages. In all, 200 contracting potato growers were selected for the study. Important motivated factors farmers toward contract farming were; assured price, price stability, no tension of marketing, technical advice to control pests and diseases, no cash payment for seed. Majority (78.00%) of the potato growers had medium to high level of adoption regarding potato cultivation technology. With respect to practice wise adoption, maximum farmers adopted the practices viz., improved varieties, plant protection, irrigation, seed treatment, fertilizers management and land preparation in case of potato cultivation. The independent variables viz., education, mass media exposure and level of knowledge, age, land holding, occupation, annual income, cropping sequence, and risk orientation had positive and significant correlation with the adoption of potato cultivation technology by the potato growers.

Ecological Significance of Laser Leveling of Lands.

The economic efficiency of laser leveling of lands is that in Uzbekistan the cultivation of agricultural crops is based on irrigated agriculture, where 90-95% of the crop is grown. Caring and cultivation of crops is carried out by applying several agro-technical measures, the most important of which is land leveling. In agriculture, the main purpose of land leveling is to carry out irrigation and mechanized agro-technical measures while maintaining the slope of the field.

Spatiotemporal Pattern Differentiation and Influencing Factors of Cultivated Land Use Efficiency in Hubei Province under Carbon Emission Constraints

The rapid conversion of cultivated land resources has posed a severe danger to national food security, where the primary concerns are the quantity as well as the quality of the land being cultivated. Cultivated land use efficiency (CLUE) reflects the rational allocation and utilization level of cultivated land, labor, capital, and other factors so as to maximize output and minimize cost. In this study, carbon emissions were included as an unexpected output into the measurement framework of CLUE. The super SBM undesirable model, Spatial analysis model, and Tobit model were comprehensively used to measure the difference pattern and influencing factors of CLUE in 72 counties of Hubei Province from 2005 to 2020. The results show the following: the CLUE in Hubei Province showed significant regional differences and temporal variation characteristics. During the observation period of 2005 to 2020, the overall CLUE in Hubei Province increased, reaching 0.7475 by 2020, but was still at a low level (less than 1). Due to the limitation of topographic factors, this does not show obvious spatial agglomeration characteristics on the whole. In general, the CLUE value formed after considering the carbon emission index in most counties decreased by different ranges compared to the value formed without considering the carbon emission index. From the perspective of transverse terrain comparison, the measured results of the super SBM undesirable model showed that the cultivated land utilization efficiency of the mountain and hill was higher than that of the plain. From the vertical time comparison, the CLUE of different regions showed an upward trend, indicating obvious regional differences in the study period. The results of the Tobit model show that farmers’ income level can actively promote the improvement of CLUE in Hubei Province. Urbanization level, rural power consumption, per capita cultivated land scale, and agricultural mechanization level have an impact on cultivated land use efficiency as a whole, but the impact has topographic heterogeneity. This study can provide theoretical and technical reference for the improvement of regional cultivated land efficiency and the formulation of cultivated land protection strategies and policies.

The adoption of laser land leveler technology and its impact on groundwater use by irrigated farmland in Punjab, Pakistan

AbstractThis paper investigates the factors that influence the adoption of laser land levelers and their impact on groundwater usage in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. A farm household survey of 504 agriculture producers was conducted in 2019. A discrete‐time duration model is used to investigate factors influencing the speed of adoption and an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model is used to evaluate its impact on groundwater usage. About 70% of the surveyed households adopted the technology, and the average time to adoption was 9 years. Key factors accelerating the speed of adoption include strong legal land rights, access to information about the technology, and exposure to the technology. In contrast, long distance to rental market deaccelerates the speed of adoption. The adoption of laser land leveler reduced groundwater use by about 23%. The results imply that institutional arrangements, such as improving access to extension services, exposure to innovation, and legal land rights, can enhance the adoption and diffusion of the technology and conserve groundwater.