Digital Commons Network^™

Priority Areas For Action And Research On Pastoralism And Rangelands In Eastern Africa, M. O. Odhiambo

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is an element of irony around pastoralism and research in Eastern Africa. While it is one of the most researched production and livelihood systems, pastoralism is also the least understood by policymakers and development actors, with discussions about its importance characterized by significant gaps in knowledge. What is more, policy actors have difficulties accessing empirical data specific to pastoralism and rangelands in a form that allows well-founded decision-making on policy and action. Most available data tend to be out of date and not disaggregated with reference to pastoralism and rangelands. As a result, much of the discourse around pastoralism …

Implications Of Herder Attitudes For Stocking Rates In China And Mongolia, Yanting Yin, Ping Li, David R. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Over-grazing of the grasslands in China and Mongolia is a common problem. Herders typically aim to increase their animal numbers to then hopefully, improve their status and incomes. Various studies have shown that stocking rates often need to be halved to restore grasslands to a sustainable state. Governments have been enacting policies to achieve a reduction in stocking rates, especially in China. However, in both countries, herders have freedom to set their own stocking rates. A survey was done of ~900 herders in Inner Mongolia, on the five main grassland types, to define their styles, attitudes and intentions for stocking …

Herders’ Attitude And Decision Making In Stocking Rates And Implication For Grassland Management In China, Ping Li, Rong Zhi, Jeff Bennett, Kejian Lin, Ke Jin

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Overgrazing is widely acknowledged to be the main driver of grassland degradation. Governments seeking to address the grassland degradation problem have therefore focused on policies designed to reduce overgrazing. The Chinese government has implemented a series of policies with the aim of protecting the grasslands from more serious degradation. The efficacy of these policies has been questioned given that, since their introduction, stocking rates have remained high in many affected areas. It has been suggested that the government should enhance grassland monitoring and the punishment of overgrazing. Increasing penalties would reduce stocking rates, however that is likely to cause more …

Grassland Resources In Liaoning Province Of China: Problems And Management Strategies, Guijuan Du, Jiaming Zheng

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Examining Supports And Barriers To Breastfeeding Through A Socio-Ecological Lens: A Qualitative Study, Kailey Snyder, Emily Hulse, Holly Dingman, Angie Cantrell, Corrine Hanson, Danae Dinkel

Journal Articles

Background

Early breastfeeding cessation is a societal concern given its importance to the health of mother and child. More effective interventions are needed to increase breastfeeding duration. Prior to developing such interventions more research is needed to examine breastfeeding supports and barriers from the perspective of breastfeeding stakeholders. One such framework that can be utilized is the Socio-Ecological Model which stems from Urie Broffenbrenner’s early theoretical frameworks (1973–1979). The purpose of this study was to examine supports and barriers to breastfeeding across environmental systems.

Methods

A total of 49 representatives participated in a telephone interview in Nebraska, USA in 2019. …

Kyrgyz Republic Reforms In Management Of Pasture Resources, Abdumalik Egemberdiev, Renee Giovarelli

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

To Fence Or Not To Fence: Policy And Enclosure On The Tibetan Plateau, G. Davidson, R. H. Behnke, C. Kerven

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Equity Implications Of The Changing Institutional Landscape In U.S. Rangeland Conservation, Sally Fairfax, Lynn Huntsinger, Wenjun Li

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Traditional Rangeland Management Systems In Chitral, Ismail Muhammad

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

A Research Road Map For Responsible Use Of Agricultural Nitrogen, Michael Udvardi, Frederick E. Below, Michael J. Castellano, Alison J. Eagle, Ken E. Giller, Jagdish Kumar Ladha, Xuejun Liu, Tai Mcclellan Maaz, Barbara Nova-Franco, Nandula Raghuram, G. Philip Robertson, Sonali Roy, Malay Saha, Susanne Schmidt, Mechthild Tegeder, Larry M. York, John W. Peters

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Nitrogen (N) is an essential but generally limiting nutrient for biological systems. Development of the Haber-Bosch industrial process for ammonia synthesis helped to relieve N limitation of agricultural production, fueling the Green Revolution and reducing hunger. However, the massive use of industrial N fertilizer has doubled the N moving through the global N cycle with dramatic environmental consequences that threaten planetary health. Thus, there is an urgent need to reduce losses of reactive N from agriculture, while ensuring sufficient N inputs for food security. Here we review current knowledge related to N use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture and identify research …

How Do Food And Physical Activity Policies Affect Our Health?, Chris Long

Diet, Food, Exercise, and Nutrition (D-FEND)

Policy is generally defined and then tied into how food and physical health policies affect our everyday lives.

Implications Of Covid-19 On Progress In The Un Conventions On Biodiversity And Climate Change, Andrea Monica D. Ortiz, Alaya M. De Leon, Justine Nicole V. Torres, Cecilia Therese T. Guiao, Antonio Gabriel M. La Viña

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

2020 was to be a landmark year for setting targets to stop biodiversity loss and prevent dangerous climate change. However, COVID-19 has caused delays to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the 26th COP of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Negotiations on the Global Biodiversity Framework and the second submission of Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement were due to take place at these COPs. There is uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 disruption will affect the negotiations, whether parties will pursue more ambitious actions or take a …

Plant Regulatory Lists In The U.S. Are Reactive And Inconsistent - Appendix 1, Evelyn M. Beaury, Emily J. Fusco, Jenica M. Allen, Bethany A. Bradley

Data and Datasets

This file includes supplemental information for Beaury, E.M.*, Fusco, E.J., Allen, J.M., Bradley, B.A. Plant regulatory lists in the U.S. are reactive and inconsistent. Journal of Applied Ecology. The file contains the sources for regulated plant lists, the lists themselves, and summarized findings of the study (whether taxa are listed proactively or as climate change proactive). Metadata are included in the file.

*corresponding author: Evelyn M. Beaury (ebeaury@umass.edu), 312B Holdsworth Hall, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01002.

2021 Report To The Governor On Utah's Land, Water, And Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water, And Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2021 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah’s shared resources. It highlights gathered data that is available to provide context to these issues, as well as identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers and other statewide leaders to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 43 researchers and experts and the general guidance of 32 advisory committee members, the report outlines 25 issues and trends to pay attention to in the coming months and years.

“We’Re, Like, The Most Unhealthy People In The Country”: Employing An Equity Lens To Reduce Barriers To Healthy Food Access In Rural Appalachia, Kathryn Cardarelli, Emily M. Dewitt, Rachel Gillespie, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Natalie Jones, Janet Tietyen Mullins

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Introduction

Obesity disproportionately affects rural communities, and Appalachia has some of the highest obesity rates in the nation. Successful policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions to reduce obesity must reflect the circumstances of the population. We used a health equity lens to identify barriers and facilitators for healthy food access in Martin County, Kentucky, to design interventions responsive to social, cultural, and historical contexts.

Methods

We conducted 5 focus groups in Martin County, Kentucky, in fall 2019 to obtain perspectives on the local food system and gauge acceptability of PSE interventions. We used grounded theory to identify perceived barriers and …

Youth-Centered Public Participation(The Case Of Saida)Strategic Tools And Lessons Learnt, Mohammad Al Hariri 1policy Research Assistan

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Governance entities that have tackled public participation for decades are now approaching more participatory democracies, throughout which citizens are directly involved in influencing decisions that matter to them. In Lebanon, young people’s disengagement from the sociopolitical realm demands a framework for youth dialogue on policy matters. In 2017, the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development designed, initiated and managed a youth-centered public participation approach in Saida, Lebanon, engaging young citizens in local research and development and empowering them to multiply their influences at the regional and national scales. This approach has been recognized on all levels as an effective methodology …

Adherence Of Lebanese Adolescent Students To Thecopernican Theory Of Mediocrity Regardinganthropometry, Activity, And Social Participation, Ibtissam Saab Associate Professor, Physical Therapy Department, Faculty Of Health Sciences

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Governance entities that have tackled public participation for decades are now approaching more participatory democracies, throughout which citizens are directly involved in influencing decisions that matter to them. In Lebanon, young people’s disengagement from the sociopolitical realm demands a framework for youth dialogue on policy matters. In 2017, the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development designed, initiated and managed a youth-centered public participation approach in Saida, Lebanon, engaging young citizens in local research and development and empowering them to multiply their influences at the regional and national scales. This approach has been recognized on all levels as an effective methodology …

Sustainability And Optimization Of Rangeland Uses: Issues Of Perspective And Scale, T. L. Thurow

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Upcoming: Coming Spring 2018: Colby On Climate, Colby College

Colby Magazine

No abstract provided.

Examining The Northern Shrimp Fishery In A Changing Gulf Of Maine, Ashley N. Charleson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) once supported a key commercial fishery in the State of Maine. Since its closure in 2013, the stock has remained in a particularly vulnerable state following recruitment failure, overfishing, and rising water temperatures. Furthermore, without this source of supplemental income, local fishermen have also experienced financial stress following unstable fishing conditions in other fisheries. The collective goal of this research project was to assess factors impacting the feasibility of reopening and maintaining this vulnerable winter fishery. These goals are addressed over 4 chapters. Chapter two offers insight regarding what is most often omitted from the regulatory …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances In Consumable Fish & Surface Waters Near Sites Using Aqueous Film-Forming Foams: Potential Risks, Suggested Regulatory Standards And Policy Approaches For Massachusetts, Tachalla Gibeau

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants of concern with potential for adverse effects on both human and environmental health. Hence, long-chain PFAS compounds used in legacy aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are being phased out, resulting in the stockpiling of them at various commercial installations. PFAS contaminated runoff from these facilities has the potential to contaminate nearby surface water bodies and the fish inhabiting them. An analytical approach was used to identify surface water bodies in Massachusetts that are habitats for fish susceptible to PFAS contamination and where said fish are also popularly consumed by locals – thereby representing …

Evaluation Of A Supermarket Environmental Change Intervention: Findings From A Low-Fat Milk Couponing And Educational Marketing Pilot, Allison Karpyn, Barbara Ruhs, Ginnie Sawyer-Morris, Stephanie Weiss, Sara Grajeda, Donna Levine, Punam Ohri-Vachaspati

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a multifaceted, collaborative approach to supermarket environmental change that included in-store couponing and educational marketing to increase low-fat milk purchasing across a 48-store supermarket chain serving predominately Hispanic customers. Point-of-sale (POS) and process data collected during the 16-week program implementation included in-store radio advertising, in-store signage, and POS coupons. POS data were analyzed by the coupon marketing partner, and a chi-square test was conducted to test for significant differences between groups. POS data indicated that 44,050 low-fat milk coupons were issued to traditional full-fat milk purchasing customers with a redemption rate of …

10th Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium, University Of Texas Md Anderson Cancer Center Postdoctoral Association

Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium Abstracts

The Annual Postdoctoral Science Symposium (APSS) was initiated on August 4, 2011, by the MD Anderson Postdoctoral Association to provide a platform for talented postdoctoral fellows throughout the Texas Medical Center to present their work to a wider audience.

APSS is a scientific symposium organized by postdoctoral fellows from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that welcomes submissions and presentations from postdoctoral fellows from all Texas Medical Center affiliated institutions and other Houston area institutions. The APSS provides a professional venue for postdoctoral scientists to develop, clarify and refine their research as result of formal reviews and critiques …

Bias And Misrepresentation Of Science Undermines Productive Discourse On Animal Welfare Policy: A Case Study, Kelly Jaakkola, Jason N. Bruck, Richard C. Connor, Stephen H. Montgomery, Stephanie L. King

Faculty Publications

Reliable scientific knowledge is crucial for informing legislative, regulatory, and policy decisions in a variety of areas. To that end, scientific reviews of topical issues can be invaluable tools for informing productive discourse and decision-making, assuming these reviews represent the target body of scientific knowledge as completely, accurately, and objectively as possible. Unfortunately, not all reviews live up to this standard. As a case in point, Marino et al.’s review regarding the welfare of killer whales in captivity contains methodological flaws and misrepresentations of the scientific literature, including problematic referencing, overinterpretation of the data, misleading word choice, and biased argumentation. …

Protecting Biodiversity On National Forests: The Evolution And Implementation Of Forest Planning Regulations, Anna Wearn

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) promulgated new forest planning regulations that significantly altered national forest management. One of the most controversial and important advancements was the inclusion of what were meant to be stronger biodiversity protections. An analysis of USFS’s rationale in revising the biodiversity regulations provides insights into how to interpret the substantively and procedurally new ecosystem and species protections. Examining this regulatory history reveals three key changes to the manner in which national forests are required to manage and monitor biodiversity: 1) a greater reliance on science to inform planning, 2) a new emphasis on ecological …

Sustainable Solutions, Fall/Winter 2020, Issue 41

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.

Exploitation Of Wastelands For Fodder Production And Agroforestry, Gurbachan Singh

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Natural resources degradation for agricultural production and environmental protection has been a matter of concern for future food, nutrition, environment and livelihood security. As per current estimates, 120.7 million hectare (mha) is under degraded or wastelands. These lands provide ample opportunity for growing fodder trees and grasses to bridge the gap between demand and supply of green and dry fodder.Several species of fodder trees and grasses have been identified and their agro-techniques standardized for raising in different categories of wastelands such as affected by soil and wind erosion, salinity, acidity and mining etc. A brief account of such plants is …

Table Of Contents

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

No abstract provided.

Animal Research, Accountability, Openness And Public Engagement: Report From An International Expert Forum, Elisabeth H. Ormandy, Daniel M. Weary, Katarina Cvek, Mark Fisher, Kathrin Herrmann, Pru Hobson-West, Michael Mcdonald, William Milsom, Margaret Rose, Andrew Rowan, Joanne Zurlo, Marina A.G. Von Keyserlingk

Andrew N. Rowan, DPhil

In November 2013, a group of international experts in animal research policy (n = 11) gathered in Vancouver, Canada, to discuss openness and accountability in animal research. The primary objective was to bring together participants from various jurisdictions (United States, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom) to share practices regarding the governance of animals used in research, testing and education, with emphasis on the governance process followed, the methods of community engagement, and the balance of openness versus confidentiality. During the forum, participants came to a broad consensus on the need for: (a) evidence-based metrics to …

Environmentally Responsible Land Use, Spring/Summer 2010, Issue 22

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.