Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 5 of 5
Full-Text Articles in Environmental Sciences
The Cenozoic Climatic And Topographic Evolution Of The Western North American Cordillera, C. Page Chamberlain, Hari T. Mix, Andreas Mulch, Michael T. Hren, Malinda L. Kent-Corson, Steven J. Davis, Travis Horton, Stephan A. Graham
The Cenozoic Climatic And Topographic Evolution Of The Western North American Cordillera, C. Page Chamberlain, Hari T. Mix, Andreas Mulch, Michael T. Hren, Malinda L. Kent-Corson, Steven J. Davis, Travis Horton, Stephan A. Graham
Environmental Studies and Sciences
Herein we present oxygen isotope records from Cretaceous to Recent terrestrial sediments in the western North American Cordillera. The purpose of this analysis is to use oxygen isotope records to understand the coupled surface elevation and climate histories of this region through the Cenozoic. To do this we constructed δ¹⁸(O) maps of surface waters for time intervals that trace the development of topography of western North America. These maps are based on 4861 oxygen isotope analyses from both published (4478) and new (383) data. We determined the δ¹⁸(O) values of surface waters using paleotemperatures derived previously from floral assemblages and …
Diversified Farming Systems: An Agroecological, Systems-Based Alternative To Modern Industrial Agriculture, Claire Kremen, Alastair Iles, Christopher M. Bacon
Diversified Farming Systems: An Agroecological, Systems-Based Alternative To Modern Industrial Agriculture, Claire Kremen, Alastair Iles, Christopher M. Bacon
Environmental Studies and Sciences
This Special Issue on Diversified Farming Systems is motivated by a desire to understand how agriculture designed according to whole systems, agroecological principles can contribute to creating a more sustainable, socially just, and secure global food system. We first define Diversified Farming Systems (DFS) as farming practices and landscapes that intentionally include functional biodiversity at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales in order to maintain ecosystem services that provide critical inputs to agriculture, such as soil fertility, pest and disease control, water use efficiency, and pollination. We explore to what extent DFS overlap or are differentiated from existing concepts such as …
Food Security And Smallholder Coffee Production: Current Issues And Future Directions, Martha Caswell, V. Ernesto Méndez,, Christopher M. Bacon
Food Security And Smallholder Coffee Production: Current Issues And Future Directions, Martha Caswell, V. Ernesto Méndez,, Christopher M. Bacon
Environmental Studies and Sciences
In recent years, there has been growing discussion within the specialty coffee industry about the preva- lence of seasonal food insecurity in coffee growing communities. The idea that coffee producers lack re- sources to feed themselves and their families flies in the face of Fair Trade and other sustainable coffee ini- tiatives, which were designed to ensure a viable livelihood and improved conditions for small-scale coffee farmers around the world. Though these certifications represent an important step toward delivering better prices to farmers, they are inadequate tools to stand alone against the formidable and entrenched barriers faced by this population. …
The Journal’S The Thing: Teaching Natural History And Nature Writing In Baja California Sur, John S. Farnsworth, Christopher Beatty
The Journal’S The Thing: Teaching Natural History And Nature Writing In Baja California Sur, John S. Farnsworth, Christopher Beatty
Environmental Studies and Sciences
The skills of making informed observations, synthesizing those observations, and communicating them effectively are central to the naturalist. Developing university courses that optimize instruction in these skills simultaneously can, however, be a challenge. Here we describe a program at Santa Clara University comprised of two integrated co-requisite courses, Writing Natural History (ENVS 142) and The Natural History of Baja (BIOL/ENVS 144). Lectures through the 10-week winter quarter expand students’ knowledge of the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Baja Peninsula and help them to develop descriptive writing skills. The courses culminate in a ten-day expedition to the Baja Peninsula and Isla …
The Social Dimensions Of Sustainability And Change In Diversified Farming Systems, Christopher M. Bacon, Christy Getz, Sibella Kraus, Maywa Montenegro, Kaelin Holland
The Social Dimensions Of Sustainability And Change In Diversified Farming Systems, Christopher M. Bacon, Christy Getz, Sibella Kraus, Maywa Montenegro, Kaelin Holland
Environmental Studies and Sciences
Agricultural systems are embedded in wider social-ecological processes that must be considered in any complete discussion of sustainable agriculture. Just as climatic profiles will influence the future viability of crops, institutions, i.e., governance agreements, rural household and community norms, local associations, markets, and agricultural ministries, to name but a few, create the conditions that foster sustainable food systems. Because discussions of agricultural sustainability often overlook the full range of social dimensions, we propose a dual focus on a broad set of criteria, i.e., human health, labor, democratic participation, resiliency, biological and cultural diversity, equity, and ethics, to assess social outcomes, …