Total Land Research Articles

The Influence of the Depression Zone of Forest Shelterbelts on the Productivity and Profitability of Winter Wheat

Background: The article presents the results of a study which is characterizing the impact of a forest shelterbelt on the productivity and profitability of winter wheat of the dry steppe zone of Volgograd region (Russia). The relevance of the problem was due to the fact that most of the agriculture is used to be concentrated in the steppe and forest-steppe natural zones. It is known that these territories were used to be forest reclamation facilities in the form of a network of protective forest belts. Also it touched the research aimed n need to evaluate the efficiency of winter wheat production within depression zones. The hypothesis means that the soil and climatic conditions of dry steppe regions, were utilizing these depression zone for arable land which significantly reduced the productivity and profitability of winter wheat cultivation. Methods: The work presents the biological productivity which was taken into account by using the method of meter-long plots in triplicationand a soil moisture was determined by the thermostat-weight method and grain quality was determined by using an infrared analyzer “InfraLUM FT-12”. The territory was visualized by using an unmanned aerial vehicle and chemical analyzes of soil samples were performed in the soil analysis laboratory of the FSC of Agroecology RAS by using generally accepted methods in soil science. Result: The research determined that depression zones arise in the steppe and dry steppe zones on the territory of agroforest landscapes near protective forest plantations. The areas of these zones occupy 4-8% of the total arable land area. Observations have shown that soil moisture in the depression zone in the meter-long layer is lower than in the inter-strip space. At the same time, the lack of mineral nutrition elements leads to a significant decrease in biometric indicators and the quality of winter wheat grown.

Assessing climate-driven glacial retreat, snow-cover reduction and GLOF risks: implications for water resource management amid rising global temperatures and CO2

Context The consequences of climate change, including alterations in snow and glacier patterns and rising temperatures, pose a risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which can have cross-border impacts, leading to the loss of life and property downstream. Aims This research focused on the assessment of changes in snow cover within Chitral district imposed by temperature increase. Methods ArcGIS and Origin programs were used in this research to study the glacier pattern of Chitral. Results Therer was a significant increase of 266.7% in urban development and an expansion of 135.9 km2 in agricultural areas within this remote mountainous region. The findings of the study show that in the year 2000, >51.6% of Chitral district’s total land was covered by snow during early winter. However, this coverage drastically declined to ~6.8% by 2008. Across the initial two 4-year periods, ~44.7% (5694.6 km2) of the glaciated area transitioned to barren rock, whereas the overall reduction in snow-covered areas accounted for ~43.3% (5514.6 km2). Conclusion Owing to the increasing stress on freshwater resources, it is essential to conduct thorough analyses and monitoring of snow patterns to ensure sustainable freshwater availability and effective environmental risk management. Implications This study emphasises the critical consequences of climate-driven glacial retreat, waning snow cover and increased risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) for the management of water resources with the rise in global CO2 and temperatures levels. These changes threaten the timing and availability of water supply, with impacts on agriculture, ecosystem and hydropower. Effective adaptation measures and sustainable management practices are crucial to alleviate these risks and ensure water security in a warming world.

Resettlement Implementation in Water Projects: A Case of Northern Collector Tunnel Murang'a County

Large-scale water projects threaten livelihood and disrupt communities due to demand for large tracts of land (Walelign & Lujala, 2022). Despite conducting social impact assessment, water projects carry unexpected twists that extend for years. This paper focused on Murang’a Northern Collector tunnel, Murang’a County in Kenya through an ex-post facto design with descriptive survey analysis. It described the impacts of resettlement restoration efforts in water projects. The total land affected by Phase 1 was about 10.766 acres disrupting around 657 people (World Bank Group, 2019). The study found that the affected persons were dissatisfied with the resettlement process. Stakeholders complained of delayed and insufficient compensation, lack of access to water in the project area, and limited public participation. A sample of 261 respondents was used to draw conclusions. The correlation coefficient for the study was R=0.886 with P<0.001, F=163.550, and adjusted R2=0.779. This indicated that the regression model was statistically significant and resettlement implementations contribute to variation in project outcomes. In examining the individual variables most of the participants disagreed or strongly disagreed they were satisfied with the process of resettlement. The paper proposed policy change, adequate multi-stakeholder engagement and harmonization of valuation for fair compensation of land acquired during projects and livelihood restoration.

Satellite imagery reveals widespread coconut plantations on Pacific atolls

Abstract Efforts to mitigate tropical deforestation overlook coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) plantations on atolls—low island ecosystems that represent the most common landforms in the Pacific basin. Coconut palms have a deep history in the Pacific and were planted extensively over the last two centuries to meet the surging demand for coconut oil exports. But despite wide interest in the global footprint of palm crops, the distribution of coconut palms on Pacific atolls has remained unknown. We applied a supervised machine learning classifier to satellite imagery to produce 2 m resolution vegetation maps of 235 of 266 Pacific atolls. Despite the abandonment of many plantations in recent decades, we find that coconut palms surpass native broadleaf trees in terms of canopy area: coconut presently covers 58.3% of the mapped atolls’ total forested area and 24.1% of their total land area. 51.2% of these coconut canopies occur in monocultures indicative of plantation agriculture and drastic ecological changes. Even among atolls with climates equally suitable for coconut palms, coconut canopy coverage is 32.1 percentage points greater on those that historically exported coconut products, demonstrating the significant and persistent effects of plantations on forest compositions in the tropical Pacific. Coconut palms are most dominant on large, wet islands, reflecting their high rates of water use and thus their potential to deplete critical groundwater resources. The spread of coconut plantations also came at the expense of native vegetation critical for wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, and soil formation. The severe environmental impacts of coconut plantations urge ecosystem management in a region uniquely exposed to climate change.

The Use of Sentinel-1 Imagery for Degraded Peatland Analysis in South Kalimantan Area with SSM Algorithm and Wosten Model

Abstract Indonesia has about 12% of its total land area, or about 14.9 million hectares, classified as peatland. Much of this land is distributed on the island of Kalimantan, around 6.5 million hectares, on the island of Sumatra around 7.1 million hectares, and the rest is in the Papua region. Peatlands have a vital role as a source of food and habitat for various types of living things. Ecologically, these lands function as global climate change control and flood control. However, anthropogenic human activities such as drainage, deforestation, land burning, and land conversion for agriculture have caused peatlands to be degraded. This has caused peatlands to become dry, oxidized, susceptible to fire, and prone to subsidence. As a result of creating degraded peatlands, terrestrial carbon trapped in peatlands will be released into the atmosphere, resulting in a greenhouse effect that contributes to global warming. In this research, Sentinel-1 SAR imagery data can identify degraded peatlands using the Surface Soil Moisture (SSM) algorithm and the Wosten Model Method. The SSM algorithm identified 217.55 hectares of degraded peatland in Bumi Makmur Subdistrict with an accuracy of 0.647. Meanwhile, the Wosten Model identified 254.88 hectares of degraded peatland in Bumi Makmur Subdistrict with an accuracy of 0.941.

Sustained Fishing Threatens Globally Protected Species: Insights from Digital Catch and Genomic Data

Small-scale fisheries capture a wide marine biodiversity including highly vulnerable and endangered species. Despite global conservation efforts, at regional scale, strategies to conserve threatened species are often constrained by poor biological information and a paucity of fisheries data to understand the level of threat posed to their populations. In Myanmar, devil and manta rays (mobulids) are caught for meat consumption and export of gill plates. The impact of this exploitation is not fully understood as mobulid rays, especially in this region, have been poorly studied, catch levels are under-reported and the fishery is unregulated. An accurate knowledge of the species composition and catch levels is an important first step to inform potential management and protection strategies for these species. This study is the first to combine digital catch recording alongside genomic tools to analyze mobulid rays caught in the Tanintharyi Region of south Myanmar. Our catch data analyses indicate a sustained catch and decrease in total landings of mobulids from 2016 to 2018 in Tanintharyi. We identified five species of mobulid rays, including the first record of M. tarapacana for Myanmar. Our analyses of population genomics provided evidence of structured populations of M. thurstoni and partial admixture in M. mobular. Our findings are highly valuable 1) contributing to fill the knowledge gap for these threaten species in the region, and 2) as the first documentation of sustained fishing pressure these rays are exposed to, and the species under potential fishing threat in the Tanintharyi Region, a high priority biodiversity hotspot.

Identification of biodiversity priority conservation areas in China by integrating genetic, species and ecosystem diversity

Genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity are the three fundamental levels of biodiversity, each crucial for identifying priority conservation areas (PCAs). Globally or regionally, the areas with the highest genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity are not necessarily the same. To comprehensively represent biodiversity, this study fully considers these three fundamental levels from the foundational concept of biodiversity. We applied systematic conservation planning theory to develop an integrated framework for identifying PCAs for key protected species in China. We used species richness (SR), weighted endemism (WE), phylogenetic diversity (PD), evolutionary distinctiveness (ED), phylogenetic endemism (PE), and ecosystem service value (ESV) as conservation indicators and built different scenarios in Zonation. The results show that the total area of PCAs is approximately 3.29 million km2, accounting for about 34.29 % of China's total land area. More than half (approximately 52.21 %) of existing protected areas (PAs) overlap with the PCAs, indicating that current PAs are somewhat effective in biodiversity protection. However, there are still some PCAs that are not located within PAs, suggesting a significant potential for expanding the PAs network. Additionally, the distribution of newly established national park pilot areas aligns well with that of the PCAs, demonstrating the effectiveness of national park policies in protecting biodiversity. This study bridges traditional ecological theory with practical conservation planning, offering new insights into the theoretical methods and practical applications for identifying PCAs. It also provides valuable guidance for the selection and adjustment of PCAs in other regions globally.

Comparison of frameworks for defining land occupation considering on-farm and off-farm feed production on Italian dairy farms.

Land occupation (LO) is one of the most frequently discussed aspects of livestock competition with agricultural activities. commonly In this study the area needed to produce purchased feeds for animal nutrition, was used to estimate the off-farm land occupation of dairy farms, allowing for a precise calculation of the total land occupation requirement for milk production (on-farm plus off-farm LO, expressed in m2 per unit of standardized milk). We use 4 approaches (LO1, LO2, LO3A and LO3B) to calculate the off-farm land used for milk production on dairy farms and apply them to 14 dairy farms in northern Italy as a case study. The LO1 used mass allocation of each purchased product between the fraction of DM yield of each product (main, by-products, and crop residues) derived from the whole crop. This procedure was considered as the reference. The LO2 considered only the main product as the driver of land use without considering by-products. LO3A and LO3B converted all the purchased feeds into energy, protein, and fiber equivalents. LO1 was accurate, even though it was time-consuming, whereas procedures of LO3A and LO3B showed comparable values with easier required input data. When Total LO was considered (on-farm and off-farm using LO1), the average surface to produce milk resulted in 1.47 m2/kg FPCM, however the off-farm LO1 was 0.76 m2/kg FPCM (±0.24 m2/kg). This large variability indicates that LO largely depend on farm management and adopted animal feeding strategies. Moreover, half of the milk production was linked to the purchased feeds. We found positive correlations between all off-farm LO approaches and N surplus (r = 0.45 to r = 0.73), supporting previous studies suggesting that concentrated animal agriculture, in which the fulfillment of the animal's needs has been delegated to purchased feeds, is the main source of nitrogen surplus on farmlands. LO per unit of production can be reduced-by increasing on-farm feed production, particularly protein components and, to a lesser extent, by valorizing by-products, while not increasing the on-farm N surplus and carbon footprint.

The Dynamics of Land Control in Forest Areas by the Customary Law Community of Nagari Simpang, Pasaman Regency

Forests in Indonesia are a vital ecosystem, covering 64% of the country�s total land area, according to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (LHK) released in 2020. Forests serve not only as a source of livelihood but also as a place for meeting the needs of communities, including customary law community (MHA) that have long controlled and utilized forest land prior to the establishment of the nation. One example of a land control conflict in forest areas by MHA occurs in Nagari Simpang Utara. The MHA, led by Datuk Putiah, claims the forest area as ulayat land under Minangkabau customary law. The government, through the Ministry of LHK, has designated this area as state forest land according to Law No. 41 of 1999 on Forestry, reinforced by Minister of Forestry Decree No. 35/Menhut-11/2013. This study aims to identify the dynamics of land control by MHA and find conflict resolution solutions in accordance with applicable regulations. The research method used is qualitative with a descriptive approach. The findings indicate that the recognition and existence of MHA often conflict with government policies, causing friction between indigenous communities and state authorities. In this regard, conflict resolution efforts must consider both sides to achieve a fair and sustainable solution.

Field Validation of Remote Sensing Land Use Assessment in Kyrgyzstan

The observation and monitoring of land use and land use change (LULUC) has made extensive use of remote sensing. However, it is quite difficult for users to classify land cover and determine changes in land use if no satellite images with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution are available. Kyrgyzstan used Collect Earth to assess the historical and present LULUC trends in 2015 and 2019. Nevertheless, the availability of low spatial and temporal resolution satellite images (15%) served as the primary reason for mandatory field verification. Thus, field validation work was conducted to validate the remote sensing assessment in 2019 by visiting selected sample plots in the field, updating the database for current and historical LULUC data, and verifying or revising inconsistent or incorrect sample plots based on the field data. A total of 941 sample plots were visited and 119 misclassified sample plots were detected during the field validation work. Hence, this article reports an updated estimate of LULUC dynamics in Kyrgyzstan, based on the validation of selected sample plots in the field and reassessing and reclassifying 13,414 1-ha sample plots through the visual interpretation of satellite imagery via Collect Earth software and the Google Earth platform. The update of the database resulted in the re-classification of 1073 sample plots in Kyrgyzstan. The results reveal that in 2019, forests occupied 1.81 million ha or 9% of the total land with a 5.33% uncertainty in Kyrgyzstan.

Carbon stocks and sequestration from small tree patches in grassland landscapes in Aotearoa-New Zealand

ABSTRACT Small patches of trees add structural heterogeneity to grassland landscapes, support biodiversity, and provide essential ecosystem services including carbon stocks and sequestration, erosion control, and shade provision. In Aotearoa-New Zealand (A-NZ) small patches of trees have further cultural significance within Te Ao Māori – the worldview of the indigenous Māori people. However, economic pressures have driven the management of grasslands either towards removing tree cover to enhance agricultural productivity, or large-scale conversion of grassland to production forests. Protecting existing small patches of trees, and encouraging their establishment across grassland landscapes, is challenging since the current extent and benefits of these patches is not known. This study demonstrates the critical contributions of small tree patches (those less than one hectare in area) in A-NZ grassland landscapes. Using a high-resolution tree cover dataset, we mapped 1,639,015 small tree patches in grasslands across A-NZ, with grassland small tree patches covering a total land area of between 185,589 ha and 187,928 ha. We used a probabilistic simulation approach to estimate carbon stocks and annual sequestration, revealing a potential aboveground carbon stock between 11.6 and 29.3 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon and an annual biomass sequestration of 0.3 Mt to 0.8 Mt. Despite their current exclusion from the national carbon emissions market, economic valuation suggests a liability of between $NZ 86.9 million and $NZ 8.6 billion (€47.9 million to €4.7. billion) if the small tree patches were felled, and a market value of between $NZ 2.0 million and $NZ 237.6 million (€1.1 and 130.9 million) annually for sequestration. Existing policies, including afforestation incentives, do not encourage protection or establishment of small patches of trees. Significant policy adjustments are required to recognize, protect, and incentivize the conservation and establishment of small patches of trees within grassland landscapes.

Low average shoreline change rate in 51 years on the raised Aldabra Atoll

Atolls are at risk of losing their ability to physically adapt due to rising sea levels and coral reefs’ reduced sediment supply, resulting in faster erosion of reef islands. This research examines Aldabra, a raised atoll and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Indian Ocean with diverse coastal ecosystems, to track shoreline changes against a regional sea level rise of 2–3 mm yr−1. Aerial and satellite images in 1960 and 2011 were used to study 85% of the atoll’s shoreline through a Digital Shoreline Analysis System. Over 51 years, 61% of the shoreline remained unchanged, while 24% changed at an average rate of 0.25 ± 0.36 m yr−1, a low rate compared to global atoll changes. Among the areas that did change, rates of accretion and erosion in absolute values were nearly balanced and affected similar percentages (12%) of the shoreline. However, localized changes were pronounced: for example, part of the lagoon shoreline transformed from a sandy beach to a mangrove habitat, accreting by 214 m over the period. Erosion occurred at crucial turtle nesting sites and the research station. The lagoon shoreline underwent more rapid changes than the erosion-resistant ocean shoreline, particularly in areas exposed to wind and waves. Despite its dynamic shoreline, Aldabra maintained its net shoreline and likely total land area over the past 51 years, akin to other Indo-Pacific atolls—underscoring its adaptive capacity. Our research suggests that current knowledge of geomorphological processes of low reef islands is transferable to the raised Aldabra Atoll, reconfirming similar mechanisms of island-building processes at the island crest. These insights highlight an urgent need to minimize local impacts on sediment availability and transfer that might alter the natural dynamics of the shoreline of reef islands and hence limit adaptation potential. Ongoing shoreline monitoring will remain crucial for informing timely adaptation strategies for the conservation of Aldabra’s unique ecosystem.

Accounting for Climate and Inherent Soil Quality in United Nations (UN) Land Degradation Analysis: A Case Study of the State of Arizona (USA)

Climate change and land degradation (LD) are some of the most critical challenges for humanity. Land degradation (LD) is the focus of the United Nations (UN) Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 15: Life on Land). Land degradation is composed of inherent and anthropogenic LD, which are both impacted by inherent soil quality (SQ) and climate. Conventional LD analysis does not take into account inherent SQ because it is not the result of land use/land cover change (LULC), which can be tracked using remote sensing platforms. Furthermore, traditional LD analysis does not link anthropogenic LD to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study uses one of the indicators for LD for SDG 15 (15.3.1: Proportion of land that is degraded over the total land area) to demonstrate how to account for inherent SQ in anthropogenic LD with corresponding GHG emissions over time using the state of Arizona (AZ) as a case study. The inherent SQ of AZ is skewed towards low-SQ soils (Entisols: 29.3%, Aridisols: 49.4%), which, when combined with climate, define the inherent LD status. Currently, 8.6% of land in AZ has experienced anthropogenic LD primarily because of developments (urbanization) (42.8%) and agriculture (32.2%). All six soil orders have experienced varying degrees of anthropogenic LD. All land developments in AZ can be linked to damages from LD, with 4862.6 km2 developed, resulting in midpoint losses of 8.7 × 1010 kg of total soil carbon (TSC) and a midpoint social cost of carbon dioxide emissions (SC-CO2) of $14.7B (where B = billion = 109, USD). Arizona was not land degradation neutral (LDN) based on an increase (+9.6%) in the anthropogenic LD overall and an increase in developments (+29.5%) between 2001 and 2021. Considering ongoing climate change impacts in AZ, this increase in urbanization represents reverse climate change adaptation (RCCA) because of the increased population. The state of AZ has 82.0% of the total state area for nature-based solutions (NBS). However, this area is dominated by soils with inherently low SQ (e.g., Entisols, Aridisols, etc.), which complicates efforts for climate change adaptation.

Prediction of the Potentially Suitable Areas of Sesame in China Under Climate Change Scenarios Using MaxEnt Model

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L, flora of China) is an essential oil crop in China, but its growth and development are affected by climate change. To cope with the impacts of climate change on sesame cultivation, we used the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model to analyze the bioclimatic variables of climate suitability of sesame in China and predicted the suitable area and trend of sesame in China under current and future climate scenarios. The results showed that the MaxEnt model prediction was excellent. The most crucial bioclimatic variable influencing the distribution of sesame was max temperature in the warmest month, followed by annual mean temperature, annual precipitation, mean diurnal range, and precipitation of the driest month. Under the current climate scenario, the suitable areas of sesame were widely distributed in China, from south (Hainan) to north (Heilongjiang) and from east (Yellow Sea) to west (Tibet). The area of highly suitable areas was 64.51 × 104 km2, accounting for 6.69% of the total land area in China, and was primarily located in mainly located in southern central Henan, eastern central Hubei, northern central Anhui, northern central Jiangxi, and eastern central Hunan. The area of moderately suitable areas and lowly suitable areas accounted for 17.45% and 25.82%, respectively. Compared with the current climate scenario, the area of highly and lowly suitable areas under future climate scenarios increased by 0.10%–11.48% and 0.08%–8.67%, while the area of moderately suitable areas decreased by 0.31%–23.03%. In addition, the increased highly suitable areas were mainly distributed in northern Henan. The decreased moderately suitable areas were mainly distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. This work is practically significant for optimizing the regional layout of sesame cultivation in response to future climate conditions.

Determinants for Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Positively Selected Local Chicks in Eastern and Central Uganda

Despite rising demand, the supply of local chickens is declining, with their market share dropping from 87.7% to 69.9%, while exotic chicken populations have quadrupled from 4.6 million in 2008 to 17.8 million by 2021. To address this, the National Agricultural Research Organization is improving the production and productivity of Local chickens through positive selection of local chickens. This study investigates farmers’ willingness to pay for Positively selected Local Chicks (PLC) in Central and Eastern Uganda. A study involving 305 randomly selected poultry farming households from Central and Eastern Uganda. The study applies a probit model, to analyze the determinants that influence the probability that poultry farmers are willing to pay the market price bid (2700 UGX) for day-old positively selected local chicks. The dependent variable was the probability that poultry farmers are willing to pay the prevailing average market price whereby, they were categorized as 1= willingness to pay 2700 UGX and 0=Not willing to pay. An ordered probit model was used to analyze factors that influence the choice of price to be paid for a day-old positively selected Local chick. The dependent variable was the range of prices poultry farmers are willing to pay for day-old positively selected local chicken. Prices ranged from 1890, 2160, 2430, 2565, 2700, 2835, 2970, 3240, and 3510. They were categorized into; <i>lower bid </i>(less than 2700) market price bid (2700) and high bid (more than 2700 UGX). The study further analyzed the factors that influenced the maximum price that farmers are willing to pay for day-old positively selected local chicken, multiple linear regression was used. The study revealed that 89.84% of farmers were willing to pay the lowest price (1890 UGX) for day-old positively selected local chicks, while only 25.57% were willing to pay the market price of 2700 UGX. Factors influencing willingness to pay include the age of the farmer, household size, total land owned, education level, access to credit, membership in a farmer’s group, phone ownership, distance to the nearest market, and radio ownership. These findings suggest that targeted interventions are needed to enhance the adoption of positively selected local chicks.

Regional Framework Towards Establishing Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) Facilities for PV Waste Management in the Philippines: A Case Study of Laguna Province

Abstract. The accelerated adoption of photovoltaic (PV) systems for renewable power generation in the Philippines will yield a tremendous amount of PV waste. However, the country lacks a comprehensive framework for understanding PV module waste volume growth and optimally siting Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) facilities for PV waste management based on minimum siting factor. The study aims to develop a regional framework that utilizes a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach to find the potential sites and optimal locations of TSD facilities in Laguna, Philippines, based on the estimated PV module waste growth of solar energy systems with service contracts and minimum siting criteria under Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order 2013-22. By 2060, the projected amount of PV module waste in Laguna province will be around 162,230 metric tons based on the waste projection results. The suitable sites cover around 19,720.5 hectares or 11.21% of the total land area of Laguna, which were determined by various siting factors that encompass social, economic, and environmental factors and obtained using binary suitability analysis and vector overlay analysis. The optimal locations of the two TSD facilities were identified using strategic positioning based on hotspot analysis, clustering algorithm, and proximity analysis. Consequently, the distance and GHG emissions of the two optimal locations were calculated. Indeed, the approach will serve as a guide for policymakers and other stakeholders in understanding PV module waste growth and strategically and optimally position TSD facilities on suitable sites for efficient and effective PV waste management.

The Problem of Drought in the Territory of Azerbaijan and Combat Measures

The article considers global and local climate change, and the problems associated with these changes. The increase in drought in the world and in Azerbaijan. The influence of various types of anthropogenic impact on the environment is studied. Measures to reduce their negative consequences are proposed. 52.4% of the total land fund of Azerbaijan is suitable for agriculture. The bulk of the soil is in arid areas (Kura-Araz lowland, including the Salyan, Mil, Mugan, Shirvan and Karabakh plains). Drought is also observed in the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus. Growing crops without irrigation is impossible. Problems arise in irrigating crop areas in dry years. The presence of drought in the summer months and a decrease in water resources negatively affect agriculture. The total water deficit in Azerbaijan in 2020 amounted to more than 0.2 km3. The water deficit may increase to 1.3 km3 in 2030 but may amount to 4-5 km3 in 2050. It is proposed to use current technologies in the country's natural resource management system.

Land use Change and Its Impact on Carbon Stock in the Tarim River Basin from 1990 to 2020

Land use is one of the important factors causing the change in ecosystem carbon storage. Studying the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of carbon storage driven by land use change is of great significance for enhancing the carbon sequestration capacity of terrestrial ecosystems, slowing down the effect of climate warming, and helping to achieve the goal of "dual carbon." Taking the Tarim River Basin as the research object, based on four periods of land use data from 1990 to 2020, the InVEST model carbon module was applied to estimate and analyze the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of carbon storage in the basin, and the impact of land use change on the carbon sequestration capacity of the basin ecosystem and the spatial differentiation driving law of carbon storage were discussed. The results showed as follows： ① Grassland and unused land were the main land use types in the Tarim River Basin, accounting for more than 90% of the total land types, followed by cultivated land, forest land, water area, and construction land. From 1990 to 2020, the area of cultivated land, construction land, and unused land increased, while the area of grassland, forest land, and water area decreased. The total transfer area of land use type in the basin from 1990 to 2020 was 2.19×105 km2, and grassland was the main transfer type （accounting for 44.22% of the total transfer area）, which was mainly converted into unused land and cultivated land. ② The overall spatial distribution of carbon stocks in the Tarim River Basin was lower in the middle and higher in the surrounding areas. The high-to-high-cluster and high-to-low-cluster carbon stocks were mainly located in the distribution areas of woodland and grassland, and the low-value carbon stocks were mainly distributed in the unused land type areas in the middle of the Tarim River Basin. Over the past 30 years, an accumulative loss of 9×107 Mg was observed. The center of gravity of carbon storage change shifted to the southeast, and most of the areas of carbon storage reduction were cultivated land and unused land expanding to the surrounding areas, encroaching on grassland and forest land with higher carbon density. ③ The contribution of different land use types to carbon storage was grassland, forest land, cultivated land, unused land, construction land, and water area. ④ The spatial differentiation of carbon stocks in the Tarim River Basin was influenced by various driving factors such as terrain, climate, environment, and population and their synergies.

The effect of agricultural policy on sustainability and environmental protection: omnibus law case study

Abstract This study assesses the effects of increased domestic investment in the Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry, and Fisheries sectors on environmental sustainability in Indonesia, particularly after the Omnibus Law was enacted in 2020. Using a descriptive quantitative approach and time series data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, relevant Ministries, legal documents, and previous research, the study examines the relationship between domestic investment and various environmental indicators. These indicators include the area of forest and aquatic conservation, total plantation land, greenhouse gas emission intensity, and energy intensity in agriculture. The analysis reveals that despite a significant rise in investment, there has been no notable impact on environmental sustainability. Forest and aquatic conservation areas have remained stable, and while plantation land has increased, it is unevenly distributed. Additionally, greenhouse gas emissions and energy intensity have shown stability with minor reductions, indicating that sustainable practices have not been effectively implemented. The findings underscore the need for more robust policies to ensure that increased investment also fosters environmental protection and long-term sustainability.

Multi-directional deformation and hydraulic conductivity of expansive soils subjected to freeze-thaw cycles from three distinct initial saturation levels

Infrastructure construction in seasonally frozen regions, covering 23% of total land, faces challenges from freeze-thaw (F-T) induced damages. Expansive soils, as an important problematic soil undergo major hydromechanical properties changes influenced by F-T cycles. Sand-bentonite mixtures are extensively used for constructing earthen hydraulic barriers in cold regions. This study investigates the influence of F-T cycles on multi-directional strains and anisotropic hydraulic conductivity of different sand-bentonite mixtures prepared at optimum water content and experienced three distinct saturation levels. Results indicate that saturation level and bentonite content significantly influence volumetric strain under F-T cycles. The simultaneous effect of ice lens formation, expanding micro-voids, and suction generated by freezing processes cause different volumetric behaviors at varying saturation degrees. The dry specimen exhibits no strain under F-T cycles, while optimum and saturated specimens experienced final volumetric strains of 1.02% and 3.03%, respectively. Notably, during freezing, the specimen at optimum water content shrank, while the saturated specimen expanded. Increasing bentonite content from 40% to 70% developed freezing-induced shrinkage, from 1.73% to 4.72%, with higher thaw strain attributed to increased specimen plasticity. Also, dimensional variations revealed the cross-anisotropic nature of specimens, highlighting direct influence of water content on the shrinkage ratio. F-T cycles also increased hydraulic conductivity along both orthogonal directions by two orders of magnitude, while the anisotropy ratio decreased by about 3 after 9 F-T cycles, indicating altered pore structures. F-T cycles induce reduced swelling potential and compressibility over subsequent cycles. Microstructural observations also confirmed the F-T effects on the enhancement of porosity.