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Impacts And Feasibility Of The Us And The Eu Sustainability Criteria On Existing Land-Use Practices, Krissana Treesilvattanakul
Impacts And Feasibility Of The Us And The Eu Sustainability Criteria On Existing Land-Use Practices, Krissana Treesilvattanakul
Open Access Dissertations
Several studies have examined the land use and economic consequences of national and multi-national biofuel policies. They explored the impacts of biofuels mandates mainly based on the quantitative biofuel targets. However, the recently updated renewable policies of the United States and the European Union, which are the US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and EU Directive 2009/28 of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) both place restrictions on land that can be used to produce biofuel, and these restrictions are generally known as sustainability criteria. This research aims to determine to what extent sustainability criteria are actually binding; that is, would they …
The Effect Of Mulch Type And Thickness On The Soil Surface Evaporation Rate, Michael Mcmillen
The Effect Of Mulch Type And Thickness On The Soil Surface Evaporation Rate, Michael Mcmillen
Horticulture and Crop Science
There is a continual drive to conserve water and improve irrigation efficiency in agriculture, especially in regions where water resources are limited and regulated. Mulching is one cultural practice which can be used to reduce water needs. Using certain agricultural byproducts as mulch is a sustainable practice which can provide other benefits as well such as improving soil. Wheat straw, grass clippings, and leaf debris are fairly abundant byproducts which can be used as mulch. An experiment was conducted to determine which of these readily available mulching materials would be best at conserving soil moisture, and at which thicknesses, 5, …
Analyzing Healthy, Local Food Systems: A Case Study Of Owensboro, Kentucky, Callie Hayden
Analyzing Healthy, Local Food Systems: A Case Study Of Owensboro, Kentucky, Callie Hayden
Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development
Across the US, support is ever-growing for the local food movement. This growing trend promotes food security, supports farming families, ensures universal access to safe and healthy food products, enhances local economies, and encourages environmental and social well-being. People around the US are implementing sustainable local food systems as a means of meeting their individual community’s needs. While this movement is being popularized dramatically around the world, many cities and regions have yet to address it. This study reviews the existing literature on local food system models in an effort to answer the research question: What are the “ingredients” of …
Energy In The Corn Belt: Is Maize Production Sustainable?, Matthew Bernau
Energy In The Corn Belt: Is Maize Production Sustainable?, Matthew Bernau
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Technological and scientific innovation has transformed agricultural production. Corn production methods changed from a sustainable, nutrient recycling production system to one reliant on imported fossil energy inputs. Located in the Western Corn Belt, Union County, South Dakota was chosen as the study area. Changes in production methods are represented by four technological epochs: 1) The Draft Horse Epoch, 1890-1920; 2) The Tractor Epoch, 1920-1950; 3) The Fertilizer Epoch, 1950-1980; and 4) The Biotechnology and Precision Agriculture Epoch, 1980-2010. The energy budget method was used to measure the energy sustainability of corn production. The findings show that the volume of corn …
Evaluating The Sustainability Of Four Organic Vegetable Production Systems, Delia W. Scott
Evaluating The Sustainability Of Four Organic Vegetable Production Systems, Delia W. Scott
Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences
A field study evaluating the sustainability of four organic vegetable production systems was conducted in Lexington, Kentucky in 2006 and 2007. The four systems included no-till, raised beds covered with biodegradable black mulch, bare ground with shallow cultivation, and bare ground with shallow cultivation and wood chip mulch. The two-year study compared yield, weed control, labor, and costs associated with each system, as well as physical, chemical, and microbiological soil characteristics. In 2006, tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were grown in the four systems, with no significant difference in yield. Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) was grown in the …