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Full-Text Articles in Education

Integrating Agriculture And Ecosystems To Find Suitable Adaptations To Climate Change, Anastasia W. Thayer, Aurora M. Vargas, Adrian A. Castellanos, Charles W. Lafon, Bruce A. Mccarl, Daniel L. Roelke, Kirk O. Winemiller, Thomas E. Lacher Jan 2020

Integrating Agriculture And Ecosystems To Find Suitable Adaptations To Climate Change, Anastasia W. Thayer, Aurora M. Vargas, Adrian A. Castellanos, Charles W. Lafon, Bruce A. Mccarl, Daniel L. Roelke, Kirk O. Winemiller, Thomas E. Lacher

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Climate change is altering agricultural production and ecosystems around the world. Future projections indicate that additional change is expected in the coming decades, forcing individuals and communities to respond and adapt. Current research efforts typically examine climate change effects and possible adaptations but fail to integrate agriculture and ecosystems. This failure to jointly consider these systems and associated externalities may underestimate climate change impacts or cause adaptation implementation surprises, such as causing adaptation status of some groups or ecosystems to be worsened. This work describes and motivates reasons why ecosystems and agriculture adaptation require an integrated analytical approach. Synthesis of …


Poo Power: Revisiting Biogas Generation Potential On Dairy Farms In Texas, Justin R. Benavidez, Anastasia W. Thayer, David P. Anderson Aug 2019

Poo Power: Revisiting Biogas Generation Potential On Dairy Farms In Texas, Justin R. Benavidez, Anastasia W. Thayer, David P. Anderson

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Biogas created from anaerobic digestion on dairy farms can be used to generate electricity, produce coproducts, and reduce reliance on off-farm inputs. We incorporate risk into simulation models representing dairy farms in Texas and demonstrate the profitability of new anaerobic digester installation. Based on this market, results indicate projects that have low investment costs, receive grant support for construction, utilize coproducts, or have some combination of these factors have higher net present value at the end of the study period; however, even with generous grant support and high electricity prices, projects with average investment costs remain unprofitable.


Preparing The Next Generation Of Sustainability Scientists, Alexander K. Killion, Kelley Sterle, Emily N. Bondank, Jillian R. Drabik, Abhinandan Bera, Sara Alian, Kristen A. Goodrich, Marcia Hale, Rachel A. Myer, Quang Phung, Aaron M. Shew, Anastasia W. Thayer Jan 2018

Preparing The Next Generation Of Sustainability Scientists, Alexander K. Killion, Kelley Sterle, Emily N. Bondank, Jillian R. Drabik, Abhinandan Bera, Sara Alian, Kristen A. Goodrich, Marcia Hale, Rachel A. Myer, Quang Phung, Aaron M. Shew, Anastasia W. Thayer

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Graduate programs emerging in universities over recent decades support the advanced study of sustainability issues in complex socio-environmental systems. Constructing the problem-scope to address these issues requires graduate students to integrate across disciplines and synthesize the social and natural dimensions of sustainability. Graduate programs that are designed to foster inter- and transdisciplinary research acknowledge the importance of training students to use integrative research approaches. However, this training is not available in all graduate programs that support integrative research, often requiring students to seek external training opportunities. We present perspectives from a group of doctoral students with diverse disciplinary backgrounds conducting …


Estimating The Impacts Of Climate Change And Potential Adaptation Strategies On Cereal Grains In The United States, Chengcheng J. Fei, Bruce A. Mccarl, Anastasia W. Thayer Jun 2017

Estimating The Impacts Of Climate Change And Potential Adaptation Strategies On Cereal Grains In The United States, Chengcheng J. Fei, Bruce A. Mccarl, Anastasia W. Thayer

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Climate change induced alterations from historical patterns of precipitation, temperature, and atmospheric gases as well as increases in the frequency of extreme events is leading to alterations in global cereal production and its spatial distribution. Using a US agricultural sector model, we examine effects and acreage adaptation with an emphasis on wheat and the Pacific Northwest region. Use of a national sector model allows for analysis at the national as well as regional level. Generally, under climate change we find that the incidence of wheat production shifts northward in the Southern Great Plains, westward in Northern Great Plains and eastward …


The Challenge Of Climate Change Adaptation For Agriculture: An Economically Oriented Review, Bruce A. Mccarl, Anastasia W. Thayer, Jason P. H. Jones Nov 2016

The Challenge Of Climate Change Adaptation For Agriculture: An Economically Oriented Review, Bruce A. Mccarl, Anastasia W. Thayer, Jason P. H. Jones

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Climate change is occurring. Deviations from historic temperatures and precipitation plus increased frequency of extreme events are modifying agriculture systems globally. Adapting agricultural management practices offers a way to lessen the effects or exploit opportunities. Herein many aspects of the adaptation issue are discussed, including needs, strategies, observed actions, benefits, economic analysis approaches, role of public/private actors, limits, and project evaluation. We comment on the benefits and shortcomings of analytical methods and suggested economic efforts. Economists need to play a role in such diverse matters as projecting adaptation needs, designing adaptation incentives, and evaluating projects to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.