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Alabama Agricultural Producers’ Experiences With Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) And Their Preferences Concerning Wild Pig Management, Hailey E. Ellis, Luren M. Jaebker, Alan D. Bright, Mark D. Smith, Keith M. Carlisle

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Government agencies and landowners use a variety of lethal methods to reduce invasive wild pig populations and resulting agricultural damages. To provide decision-makers with information regarding Alabama farmers’ experiences with wild pigs and their preferences for management actions, we surveyed Alabama Farmers Federation members in 2020. We found that wild pigs were commonly present on livestock, timber, and crop production acreage, but wild pig damages and costs were much more common among crop producers. Respondents' wildlife acceptance capacity for wild pigs was low and all lethal control methods were considered aceptable by most reposndents, particularly those performed by landowners. While …

Assessing Methane Emissions And Soil Carbon Stocks In The Camargue Coastal Wetlands: Management Implications For Climate Change Regulation, Maite Martínez-Eixarch, Pere Masqué, Anna Lafratta, Paul Lavery, Samuel Hilaire, Lluís Jornet, Cyrille Thomas, Arnaud Boisnard, Néstor Pérez-Méndez, Carles Alcaraz, Columba Martínez-Espinosa, Carles Ibáñez, Patrick Grillas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Coastal wetlands are crucial in climate change regulation due to their capacity to act as either sinks or sources of carbon, resulting from the balance between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly methane (CH4), and soil carbon sequestration. Despite the paramount role of wetlands in climate regulation few studies investigate both aspects. The Camargue is one of the largest wetlands in Europe, yet the ways in which environmental and anthropic factors drive carbon dynamics remain poorly studied. We examined GHG emissions and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and accumulation rates in twelve representative wetlands, including two rice fields, to gain insights …

Managing Salinity: Fence And Volunteer Pasture, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

This treatment is recommended for saline sites that can support a mix of salt tolerant species and some non-tolerant pasture species, where livestock are present. It may also be the preferred solution for farmers who wish to see an improvement in their land at low cost.

The department recommends that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.

Shallow Relief Drains In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Shallow relief drains are easy to construct and a cost-effective way to:

• remove accumulated surface water from depressions and low-lying land
• divert run-off from land that is prone to inundation or flooding
• remove surface water to a safe disposal area, to reduce the length of time the land is inundated or flooded
• reduce the potential for localised recharge and the development of secondary salinity
• improve the continuity of flow within the catchment along the valley floor.

Wind Erosion Control After Fire In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

First steps after a fire

Act to limit further erosion:

• Remove livestock and keep them off burnt paddocks: they can be put into a confinement feeding area, an unburnt paddock or agisted.

• Minimise vehicle traffic on burnt areas

• Protect highly susceptible and valuable areas, such as house, garden, sheds, yards, gateways and laneways with binding spray, clay, gravel, old hay, or straw to give a full cover. A dust-free living and working environment is particularly important after a fire.

Leave burnt residue on roadsides, revegetation and bush areas to decrease the risk of wind erosion.

Roaded Catchments In Wa, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Roaded catchments are earthwork structures designed to increase the amount of run-off from the catchment above a receiving farm dam.

Roaded catchments are lined with clay and compacted to make a smooth surface that reduces infiltration and increases run-off. Roaded catchments should discharge into a silt trap and then into a dam (excavated earth tank). This combined structure should be fenced to exclude livestock.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that roaded catchments are part of an integrated water and salinity management program.

The information in this page is only a guide – seek expert advice before …

Natural Revegetation And No Grazing, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

The department recommends that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.

Natural revegetation and no grazing are only recommended for sites that are too saline, waterlogged and/or inundated for other treatments to succeed in the south-west of Western Australia. It is also the preferred option for the lowest possible cost.

Saltland Pastures In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Saltland pastures are associations of salt and waterlogging-tolerant plants that produce fodder for grazing animals from saline and waterlogged soils. Saltland pastures can improve production from saltland sites, reduce salt movement from the site, and improve soil structure.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that saltland management is part of a whole-farm, and preferably whole-catchment, plan.

Chronological Progress In Enhancing Cigs Solar Cell Performance Through Window Layer Development: Fundamentals, Synthesis, Optimization, Nadia Hartini Suhaimi, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Boon Kar Yap, K. Sobayel, Md Helal Miah, Islam, Sieh Kiong Tiong, Narottam Das, Mayeen Uddin Khandakher, Nowshad Amin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Several factors, particularly the material of the window layer, contribute to the efficiency of CIGS solar cells. To optimize light absorption and reduce energy losses, it is critical to select the appropriate material for the window layer development. Thus, the main emphasis of this review is on the development of window layers, covering fundamental concepts, synthesis techniques, characterization methods, and optimization strategies. Metal oxides and doped metal oxides are critical materials for optimizing charge carrier flow, minimizing energy loss, and elevating sunlight transmission to the CIGS absorber. Despite tremendous progress, difficulties such as increased conductivity, transparency, stability, and cost-effectiveness remain. …

Improving Rice Yield Using Sensor Based Nitrogen Application And Best Management Practices (Bmps) In Rice-Soybean And Rice-Crawfish Rotational Systems, Charles Darnall

LSU Master's Theses

Sustainable rice farming requires effective nutrient management and conservation practices to maintain high yields and minimize environmental impact. Implementing best management practices (BMPs) promotes lower fertilizer application rates, increased N use efficiency, improves soil health, and water quality. Demonstration fields established in two different rotational cropping systems (rice-soybean and rice-crawfish) in Kaplan, LA in 2023. In each rotation system, the benefits of BMPs (sensor based mid-season N management and cover cropping) compared to farmer’s practice (FP) were evaluated using yield, yield components, soil and water quality as metrics. The rice-soybean fields in 2023 and 2024 were both planted with PVL03 …

Enhancing Soil Texture And Bulk Density Mapping Using Soil Grids And Machine Learning: A Comparative Analysis With Observed Data, Aram Ali, Ismael O. Ismael, Hewa T. Mustafa, Diman Krwanji, Akram O. Esmail

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Digital soil mapping plays a crucial role in understanding soil variability and informing sustainable land management practices. This study focuses on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), evaluating the accuracy of SoilGrids, a global-scale soil mapping initiative, and exploring the efficacy of machine learning algorithms in refining soil properties estimations. The aim of this research was to assess and represent the physical parameters of soils effectively by comparing ground truth soil sampling data with data obtained from SoilGrids regarding clay, silt, and sand fractions and bulk density. Comparative analyses were conducted between ground truth soil sampling data and SoilGrids predictions, …

Carbon Restoration Potential On Global Land Under Water Resource Constraints, Shouzhang Peng, César Terrer, Benjamin Smith, Philippe Ciais, Qinggong Han, Jialan Nan, Joshua B. Fisher, Liang Chen, Lei Deng, Kailiang Yu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Ecosystem restoration is a critical nature-based solution to mitigate climate change. However, the carbon sequestration potential of restoration, defined as the maximum achievable carbon storage, has likely been overestimated because previous studies have not adequately accounted for the competition between ecosystem water demands for maximizing carbon sequestration and human water needs. Here we used a comprehensive process-based model combined with extensive land-use data and evaporation recycling accounting for land–atmosphere feedback to estimate the water requirements associated with ecosystem restoration. We found that achieving the carbon sequestration potential of restoration would significantly reduce global water availability per capita by 26%, posing …

Ecological View And Practice Of Chinese Path To Modernization, Yue Shi, Jiangling Zhu, Jingyun Fang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The Chinese path to modernization is characterized by emphasizing the harmony between humanity and nature. It upholds the principles of respecting, obeying, and protecting nature to achieve a coordinated integration of economic development and ecological conservation. This ecological view stems from China’s modernization practices, aligns with universal principles of modernization, and roots in features that are unique to China. It stresses a correct understanding of the human–nature relationship, the importance of systematic ecological planning and the central role of ecosystems in ecological conservation, and the necessity of following the laws of nature. Drawing on the experiences and lessons from Western …

Upholding “Triple Real” Vision For Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions To Advance Global Climate Governance, Nianzhi Jiao, Chuanlun Zhang, Tingwei Luo, Jihua Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Addressing climate change is a formidable challenge for humanity, and achieving the temperature control goals of the Paris Agreement cannot rely solely on greenhouse gas emission reductions—negative emissions are an inevitable solution. The ocean, as the planet’s largest active carbon reservoir, holds immense potential for negative emissions, yet there is no internationally recognized pathway to realize it. The UNESCO-IOC international program of Ocean Negative Carbon Emissions (ONCE) builds on the original theory of the microbial carbon pump (MCP) and integrates known ocean carbon sequestration mechanisms BCMS (standing for biological carbon pump, carbonate counter pump, MCP, solubility carbon pump) to propose …

International Game And Strategic Analysis Of China’S Methane Emission Control, Zixu Su, Xinhe Bao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Against the backdrop of methane emission control becoming a hot spot in global climate governance, China, as a major methane emitter, has committed to announcing its 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions covering all greenhouse gases before COP30, drawing significant attention from the world. In order to systematically analyze the international dynamics and China’s response strategies in methane emission control, this article explains the necessity and urgency of methane mitigation based on the current situation of global methane emission, and also clarifies essential meaning of international game to reveal China’s challenge and opportunity amid the backlash against globalization. Besides, it sorts out …

Inter-Provincial Spatial Coupling Of Paddy Fields In China Has Accelerated The Water Consumption, Wenguang Chen, Wencai Zhang, Ming Lei, Ruqian Zhang, Zhenting Zhao, Enyi Xie, Jing Zhao, Xiangbin Kong

I-GUIDE Forum

Rice trade has played a significant role in ensuring global rice consumption security. However, the spatial coupling of paddy fields based on rice trade can also transfer ecological environmental effects and threaten the sustainability of local systems. As the largest rice producer and consumer in the world, as well as one of the countries with the lowest per capita water resources, studying the inter-provincial rice flow in China and its water resource utilization efficiency is of great significance for ensuring national rice security and water resource security. Research has found that, China's rice consumption decreased by 11.97 Mt from 2000 …

Sustainable Cities; A Case Study Analysis Of Chesapeake, Va, Blaizen B. Bloom

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper is a case study analysis of the City of Chesapeake, VA. Its purpose is to examine the influence between the City's actions and its impact on the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, an analysis of future climate change impacts on the City of Chesapeake and the Chesapeake Bay in building an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable City.

Fire And Ant Interactions Mediated By Honeydew And Extrafloral Nectar In An Australian Tropical Savanna, Fernanda M. P. Oliveira, Carlos H. F Silva, Melinda L. Moir, Inara R. Leal, Alan N. Andersen

Natural Resources Research Articles

Fire is a major disturbance affecting ecosystems globally, but its impact on mutualisms has received minimal attention. Here, we use a long-term field experiment to investigate the impact of different fire regimes on globally important ant–honeydew and ant–extrafloral nectar (EFN) mutualistic interactions in an Australian tropical savanna. These interactions provide ants with a key energy source, while their plant and hemipteran hosts receive protection services. We examined ant interactions on species of Eucalyptus (lacking EFNs) and Acacia (with EFNs) in three replicate plots each of burning every 2 and 3 years early in the dry season, burning late in the …

Saltland Rehabilitation: Rehabilitating Saltland To Offset Carbon Emissions At Katanning Research Station By 2030, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Katanning Research Station has set a target to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Saltland rehabilitation is one of the strategies to be implemented to offset the emissions from the station.

Feral Donkey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Donkeys (Equus asinus) were first imported in substantial numbers to Australia in 1866 by Sir Thomas Elder. They were used as pack and draught animals in outlying areas of Western Australia (WA) until the 1930s. They were eventually replaced by the motor vehicle, and unwanted donkeys were released to the wild, where they became feral. The first record of feral donkeys is from the Kimberley in the early 1930s, but it is possible they became feral much earlier.