Sustainability

17 pages, 4109 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Potential Sources of Anthropogenic Copper Inputs to European Agricultural Soils

by Panos Panagos, Cristiano Ballabio, Emanuele Lugato, Arwyn Jones, Pasquale Borrelli, Simone Scarpa, Alberto Orgiazzi and Luca Montanarella

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2380; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072380 - 9 Jul 2018

Cited by 144 | Viewed by 15522

Abstract

In the European Union (EU), copper concentration in agricultural soil stems from anthropogenic activities and natural sources (soil and geology). This manuscript reports a statistical comparison of copper concentrations at different levels of administrative units, with a focus on agricultural areas. Anthropogenic sources [...] Read more.

In the European Union (EU), copper concentration in agricultural soil stems from anthropogenic activities and natural sources (soil and geology). This manuscript reports a statistical comparison of copper concentrations at different levels of administrative units, with a focus on agricultural areas. Anthropogenic sources of diffuse copper contamination include fungicidal treatments, liquid manure (mainly from pigs), sewage sludge, atmospheric deposition, mining activities, local industrial contamination and particles from car brakes. Sales of fungicides in the EU are around 158,000 tonnes annually, a large proportion of which are copper based and used extensively in vineyards and orchards. Around 10 million tonnes of sewage sludge is treated annually in the EU, and 40% of this (which has a high copper content) is used as fertilizer in agriculture. In the EU, 150 million pigs consume more than 6.2 million tonnes of copper through additives in their feed, and most of their liquid manure ends up in agricultural soil. These three sources (sales of fungicides, sewage sludge and copper consumption for pigs feed) depend much on local traditional farming practices. Recent research towards replacing copper spraying in vineyards and policy developments on applying sewage and controlling the feed given to pigs are expected to reduce copper accumulation in agricultural soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils: Sources, Releases and Environmental Impacts)

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21 pages, 1927 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of Sugarcane Straw and Goat Manure on Soil Nutrient Transformation and Bacterial Communities

by Muhammad Tayyab, Waqar Islam, Yasir Arafat, Ziqin Pang, Caifang Zhang, Yu Lin, Muhammad Waqas, Sheng Lin, Wenxiong Lin and Hua Zhang

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2361; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072361 - 6 Jul 2018

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 8980

Abstract

Crop residue and animal manure as a soil amendment have been recognized as a feasible agricultural practice owing to its contribution in improving the soil fertility (SF). The primary advantages of this practice are determined by the activities of soil microorganisms. However, goat [...] Read more.

Crop residue and animal manure as a soil amendment have been recognized as a feasible agricultural practice owing to its contribution in improving the soil fertility (SF). The primary advantages of this practice are determined by the activities of soil microorganisms. However, goat manure (M), sugarcane straw (S), and goat manure plus straw (MS) amendments influence soil bacteria, their activities, and SF in clay-loam soil remains undefinable. Therefore, this study distinguished the efficacy of M, MS, and S amendment on soil enzyme activities and the availability of nutrients, including various bacterial populations in clay-loamy soil with respect to two different phases (50 and 100 days). In order to analyze the bacterial structure and their activities, we employed high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and soil enzyme activity (SEA) tests. Soil amended with M and MS not only significantly enhanced nutrient availability, including C, P, and N, soil pH, as well as SEA for C and N cycles in both phases. Additionally, the increase in nutrient availability was greater in M- and MS-amended soils in the second phase (100 days) compared to the M- and S-amended soils in the first phase (50 days). Moreover, plant growth promoting and lignocellulose degrading bacterial genera were enhanced under M- and MS-amended soil compared to S-amended soil in both phases. Distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) showed that soil pH, carbon-nitrogen ratio (C:N), and nitrates (NO₃⁻) were inducing the fewest changes, while total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), total phosphorus (TP), available potassium (AK), and ammonium (NH₄⁺) were the main operators in terms of change in bacterial populations. In general, we observed that M and MS are better amendment sources as compared to S amendment in order to enhance the SF in the clay-loamy soil in both phases, but greater fertility was exhibited in the second phase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Organic Waste Management)

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14 pages, 2211 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Adsorption and Desorption of Cd by Soil Amendment: Mechanisms and Environmental Implications in Field-Soil Remediation

by Shanshan Li, Meng Wang, Zhongqiu Zhao, Changbao Ma and Shibao Chen

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072337 - 5 Jul 2018

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5420

Abstract

In China, 1/5 of the total farmland area is Cd-enriched; the wide occurrence of Cd-contaminated soil in China has already posed significant public health risk and deserves immediate action. In situ immobilization has been regarded as one of the most promising agricultural extension-technologies [...] Read more.

In China, 1/5 of the total farmland area is Cd-enriched; the wide occurrence of Cd-contaminated soil in China has already posed significant public health risk and deserves immediate action. In situ immobilization has been regarded as one of the most promising agricultural extension-technologies for remediating low-to-medium levels of heavy metal contaminated land in China. Although extensive research has been conducted to examine the effectiveness of different amendments on remediation of Cd-contaminated soils, the influence of changed soil properties on secondary release of Cd from Cd-amendment to soil is rarely known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of four soil amendments (denoted as Ad1, Ad2, Ad3 and Ad4, their main components being clay mineral, base mineral, humus and biochar, respectively) on reducing Cd availability and increasing Cd stability in soil. The maximum adsorption capacity of test amendments on Cd ranged from 7.47 to 17.67 mg g⁻¹. The characterizations of test amendments before and after Cd loading provided the evidence that surface precipitation and ion exchange were the main reasons for Ad1 and Ad2 to adsorb Cd, and complexation was for Ad3 and Ad4. In addition, there was significant increase in the desorption percentages of Cd from amendments as pH decreased (from 7 to 1) or ion strength increased (from 0 to 0.2 M). Comparatively, Ad3 and Ad4 could be more effective for in situ immobilization of Cd in contaminated soils, due to their high adsorption capacities (12.82 and 17.67 mg g⁻¹, respectively) and low desorption percentages (4.46–6.23%) at pH from 5 to 7 and ion strengths from 0.01 to 0.1 mol L⁻¹. The results obtained in this study could provide a guideline for in-situ remediation of Cd polluted field-soil in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils: Sources, Releases and Environmental Impacts)

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24 pages, 4477 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Combining Satellite and UAV Imagery to Delineate Forest Cover and Basal Area after Mixed-Severity Fires

by Fernando C. Rossi, Andreas Fritz and Gero Becker

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2227; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072227 - 28 Jun 2018

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4938

Abstract

In northern Argentina, the assessment of degraded forests is a big challenge for both science and practice, due to their heterogeneous structure. However, new technologies could contribute to mapping post-disturbance canopy cover and basal area in detail. Therefore, this research assesses whether or [...] Read more.

In northern Argentina, the assessment of degraded forests is a big challenge for both science and practice, due to their heterogeneous structure. However, new technologies could contribute to mapping post-disturbance canopy cover and basal area in detail. Therefore, this research assesses whether or not the inclusion of partial cover unmanned aerial vehicle imagery could reduce the classification error of a SPOT6 image used in an area-based inventory. BA was calculated from 77 ground inventory plots over 3944 ha of a forest affected by mixed-severity fires in the Argentinian Yungas. In total, 74% of the area was covered with UAV flights, and canopy height models were calculated to estimate partial canopy cover at three tree height classes. Basal area and partial canopy cover were used to formulate the adjusted canopy cover index, and it was calculated for 70 ground plots and an additional 20 image plots. Four classes of fire severity were created based on basal area and adjusted canopy cover index, and were used to run two supervised classifications over a segmented (algorithm multiresolution) wall-to-wall SPOT6 image. The comparison of the Cohan’s Kappa coefficient of both classifications shows that they are not significantly different (p-value: 0.43). However, the approach based on the adjusted canopy cover index achieved more homogeneous strata (Welch t-test with 95% of confidence). Additionally, UAV-derived canopy height model estimates of tree height were compared with field measurements of 71 alive trees. The canopy height models underestimated tree height with an RMSE ranging from 2.8 to 8.3 m. The best accuracy of the canopy height model was achieved using a larger pixel size (10 m), and for lower stocked plots due to high fire severity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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20 pages, 5376 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Development of Climate-Based Index for Hydrologic Hazard Susceptibility

by Mohamed Salem Nashwan, Shamsuddin Shahid, Eun-Sung Chung, Kamal Ahmed and Young Hoon Song

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2182; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072182 - 26 Jun 2018

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5402

Abstract

An index has been developed for the assessment of geographical distribution of susceptibility to hydrological hazards using easily available climate data. Catastrophe fuzzy theory and data clustering methods were used to avoid subjectivity in the estimation of the index of multiple climate indicators. [...] Read more.

An index has been developed for the assessment of geographical distribution of susceptibility to hydrological hazards using easily available climate data. Catastrophe fuzzy theory and data clustering methods were used to avoid subjectivity in the estimation of the index of multiple climate indicators. The proposed index was used for the estimation of geographical distribution of hydrological hazard susceptibility index (HHSI) in Peninsular Malaysia using gauge-based, gridded rainfall and temperature data for the period 1948–2010. The results showed that the northeast regions of Peninsular Malaysia are more susceptible to hydrological hazard, which matches very well with the general conception of the hydrological hazard susceptible zones. Assessment of susceptibility for sliding different 30-year periods between 1950 and 2010 revealed that HHSI has increased in the south and decreased in the northeast of the peninsula. The decrease in temporal and spatial variability of rainfall in the northeast and the increase in other parts can become the causes of spatial changes in hazard susceptibility. The changes of HHSI in recent years compared to the base period revealed the increase of hazard susceptibility in the south in the range of 8.81% to 21.01%, while a significant decrease (>−31.84%) was observed in the northeast. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology, Water Quality and Ecology)

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33 pages, 2377 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

A Holistic Sustainability Framework for Waste Management in European Cities: Concept Development

by Sue Ellen Taelman, Davide Tonini, Alexander Wandl and Jo Dewulf

Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2184; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072184 - 26 Jun 2018

Cited by 79 | Viewed by 23681

Abstract

Waste management represents a challenge for public authorities due to many reasons such as increased waste generation following urban population growth, economic burdens imposed on the municipal budget, and nuisances inevitably caused to the environment and local inhabitants. To optimize the system from [...] Read more.

Waste management represents a challenge for public authorities due to many reasons such as increased waste generation following urban population growth, economic burdens imposed on the municipal budget, and nuisances inevitably caused to the environment and local inhabitants. To optimize the system from a sustainability perspective, moving the transition towards a more circular economy, a better understanding of the different stages of waste management is necessary. A review of recently developed sustainability frameworks for waste management showed that no single framework captures all the instruments needed to ultimately provide a solid basis for comprehensive analyses of the potential burdens associated with urban waste management. Bearing this limitation in mind, the objective of this research is to propose a conceptual and comprehensive sustainability framework to support decision-making in waste management of European cities. The framework comprises a combination of methods capable of identifying future strategies and scenarios, to assess different types of impacts based on a life cycle perspective, and considers the value of waste streams, the actors involved, and possible constraints of implementing scenarios. The social, economic, environmental, technical and political domains are covered, and special attention is paid to impacts affecting foremost the local population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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17 pages, 442 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Roadmap to Rebound: How to Address Rebound Effects from Resource Efficiency Policy

by David Font Vivanco, Serenella Sala and Will McDowall

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 2009; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10062009 - 14 Jun 2018

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 9026

Abstract

Increasing demand for resources has been met with a new wave of resource efficiency policies worldwide. Such policies are, however, vulnerable to rebound effects when increased resource efficiency leads to additional resource use via behavioural and systemic responses. Yet, the implications of policy-induced [...] Read more.

Increasing demand for resources has been met with a new wave of resource efficiency policies worldwide. Such policies are, however, vulnerable to rebound effects when increased resource efficiency leads to additional resource use via behavioural and systemic responses. Yet, the implications of policy-induced rebounds are mostly unknown since most studies have focused on costless and exogenous efficiency improvements that are not linked to any specific policy intervention. After reviewing the literature, we provide guidance for the analysis of policy-induced rebounds. With regards to scope and method design, we highlight the untapped potential of life cycle assessment (to capture trade-offs between life cycle stages and environmental pressures) and macro-economic modelling (to reveal economic consequences beyond supply chain effects). We also find striking asymmetries in research efforts, leaving knowledge gaps for key resource efficiency strategies targeting, among others, materials, water, land, biodiversity, and waste. Lastly, rebound effects generally focus on a single resource, usually energy, and much is ignored about their implications in the context of resource interlinkages. A better understanding of such cross-resource rebounds is key to design and to assess the effectiveness of emerging policy paradigms such as the resource nexus and the sustainable development goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Environmental and Sustainability Policy: Assessing the Past and charting a Course for the Future)

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24 pages, 4107 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Developing Countries in the Lead—What Drives the Diffusion of Plastic Bag Policies?

by Doris Knoblauch, Linda Mederake and Ulf Stein

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1994; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061994 - 13 Jun 2018

Cited by 86 | Viewed by 19993

Abstract

While diffusion patterns are quite well understood in the context of the Global North, diffusion research has only been applied to a limited extent to investigate how policies spread across developing countries. In this article, we therefore analyze the diffusion patterns of plastic [...] Read more.

While diffusion patterns are quite well understood in the context of the Global North, diffusion research has only been applied to a limited extent to investigate how policies spread across developing countries. In this article, we therefore analyze the diffusion patterns of plastic bag bans and plastic bag taxes in the Global South and Global North to contribute to the further refinement of diffusion theory by specifically addressing the under-researched Global South. Moreover, with an in-depth investigation of plastic bag policies through the lens of diffusion research, the article provides insights in the rather new and still underexplored policy field of plastic pollution. We find that industrialized countries have mostly adopted plastic bag taxes, while developing countries have mainly introduced plastic bag bans and thus more stringent legislation than countries in the Global North. So far, the key driving force for the diffusion of plastic bag policies in the Global North has been the global public pressure. In the Global South, where plastic bag litter is much more visible and harmful due to limited waste collection and recycling rates, national problem pressure has been much more influential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Environmental and Sustainability Policy: Assessing the Past and charting a Course for the Future)

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15 pages, 6305 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Pilot-Scale Anaerobic Co-Digestion of the OFMSW: Improving Biogas Production and Startup

by Constantin Stan, Gerardo Collaguazo, Constantin Streche, Tiberiu Apostol and Diana Mariana Cocarta

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061939 - 10 Jun 2018

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6163

Abstract

This paper presents experimental results regarding anaerobic co-digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and fruit and vegetable waste in order to establish the efficiency of a 2 m³ volume pilot plant in terms of biogas and methane yield and [...] Read more.

This paper presents experimental results regarding anaerobic co-digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and fruit and vegetable waste in order to establish the efficiency of a 2 m³ volume pilot plant in terms of biogas and methane yield and stability of the process. The research study presents the feasibility of developing anaerobic digestion as an effective method for municipal solid waste management. The experiments were conducted in mesophilic conditions (35 °C). Domestic waste water was used as inoculum. The results showed that the inoculum presence, temperature, and pH control, were essential in order to improve biogas production and its composition. Using liquid inoculum, the CH₄ percentage in the biogas oscillated between 44% and 51%, and the biogas production from 0.504 and 0.6 m³/day. Compared to domestic waste water, animal manure increased the CH₄ concentration in biogas (up to 63%), while the daily biogas production increased by 26% and varied from 0.693 to 0.786 m³. The cumulative biogas production at the end of the experiments were 11.7 m³ and 15.89 m³, respectively. Using inoculum and co-digestion, the plant startup time was significantly reduced, the total solids content decreased from 22.7% to 19.8%, while the volatile solids decreased from 37.6% to 31.2%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Trends in Municipal Solid Waste Management)

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16 pages, 1474 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Prospective Consumers of the Indonesian Green Aviation Initiative for Sustainable Development in Air Transportation

by Ismi Rajiani and Sebastian Kot

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1772; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061772 - 29 May 2018

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7210

Abstract

The Indonesia government’s pledge on moderation climate change and greenhouse gas decline will affect the development of energy and transportation. However, shifting to these new green products is naturally problematic. Recognizing the prospective customer is even more challenging if there is no prediction [...] Read more.

The Indonesia government’s pledge on moderation climate change and greenhouse gas decline will affect the development of energy and transportation. However, shifting to these new green products is naturally problematic. Recognizing the prospective customer is even more challenging if there is no prediction base. This study is concentrated on discerning the inclinations to forecast the potential consumers by applying Schwartz’s Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ), mediated with three established groups, namely: the (1) LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability); (2) traditionalists and (3) career-oriented. By referring to five diffusions of an innovation model, the adopters who are prospectively using the green aviation are assessed. The negative path to technology enthusiast and visionaries denote no market. However, if these two niches are found, they will become the focal point for segmenting the market. The relationship among the constructs is assessed using structural equation modeling on 178 samples that are residing in main cities of Indonesia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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17 pages, 3921 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Integrating Irrigation and Drainage Management to Sustain Agriculture in Northern Iran

by Abdullah Darzi-Naftchali and Henk Ritzema

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1775; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061775 - 29 May 2018

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5138

Abstract

In Iran, as in the rest of the world, land and water for agricultural production is under pressure. Integrating irrigation and drainage management may help sustain intensified agriculture in irrigated paddy fields. This study was aimed to investigate the long-term effects of such [...] Read more.

In Iran, as in the rest of the world, land and water for agricultural production is under pressure. Integrating irrigation and drainage management may help sustain intensified agriculture in irrigated paddy fields. This study was aimed to investigate the long-term effects of such management strategies in a newly subsurface drained paddy field in a pilot area in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. Three strategies for managing subsurface drainage systems were tested, i.e., free drainage (FD), midseason drainage (MSD), and alternate wetting and drying (AWD). The pilot area consisted of subsurface drainage systems, with different combinations of drain depth (0.65 and 0.90 m) and spacing (15 and 30 m). The traditional surface drainage of the region’s consolidated paddy fields was the control. From 2011 to 2017, water table depth, subsurface drainage system outflow and nitrate, total phosphorous, and salinity levels of the drainage effluent were monitored during four rice- and five canola-growing seasons. Yield data was also collected. MSD and AWD resulted in significantly lower drainage rates, salt loads, and N losses compared to FD, with MSD having the lowest rates. Phosphorus losses were low for all three practices. However, AWD resulted in 36% higher rice yields than MSD. Subsurface drainage resulted in a steady increase in canola yield, from 0.89 ton ha⁻¹ in 2011–2012 to 2.94 ton ha⁻¹ in 2016–2017. Overall, it can be concluded that managed subsurface drainage can increase both water productivity and crop yield in poorly drained paddy fields, and at the same time reduce or minimize negative environmental effects, especially the reduction of salt and nutrient loads in the drainage effluent. Based on the results, shallow subsurface drainage combined with appropriate irrigation and drainage management can enable sustained agricultural production in northern Iran’s paddy fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Degradation and Sustainable Management of Land)

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22 pages, 7467 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

The Development and Use of Sustainability Criteria in SuRF-UK’s Sustainable Remediation Framework

by R. Paul Bardos, Hayley F. Thomas, Jonathan W. N. Smith, Nicola D. Harries, Frank Evans, Richard Boyle, Trevor Howard, Richard Lewis, Alan O. Thomas and Angela Haslam

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1781; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061781 - 29 May 2018

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 7933

Abstract

Sustainability considerations have become widely recognised in contaminated land management and are now accepted as an important component of remediation planning and implementation around the world. The Sustainable Remediation Forum for the UK (SuRF-UK) published guidance on sustainability criteria for consideration in drawing [...] Read more.

Sustainability considerations have become widely recognised in contaminated land management and are now accepted as an important component of remediation planning and implementation around the world. The Sustainable Remediation Forum for the UK (SuRF-UK) published guidance on sustainability criteria for consideration in drawing up (or framing) assessments, organised across 15 “headline” categories, five for the environment element of sustainability, five for the social, and five for the economic. This paper describes how the SuRF-UK indicator guidance was developed, and the rationale behind its structure and approach. It describes its use in remediation option appraisal in the UK, and reviews the international papers that have applied or reviewed it. It then reviews the lessons learned from its initial use and the opinions and findings of international commentators, and concludes with recommendations on how the indicator categories might be further refined in the future. The key findings of this review are that the SuRF-UK framework and indicator guidance is well adopted into practice in the UK. It is widely recognised as the most appropriate mechanism to support sustainability-based decision making in contaminated land decision making. It has influenced the development of other national and international guidance and standards on sustainable remediation. However, there is room for some fine tuning of approach based on the lessons learned during its application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Environmental and Sustainability Policy: Assessing the Past and charting a Course for the Future)

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16 pages, 1673 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of Cadmium, Copper and Lead on the Growth of Rice in the Coal Mining Region of Quang Ninh, Cam-Pha (Vietnam)

by J. Eduardo Marquez, Olivier Pourret, Michel-Pierre Faucon, Sebastian Weber, Thi Bích Hòa Hoàng and Raul E. Martinez

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1758; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061758 - 27 May 2018

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 9249

Abstract

The goal of this study was to quantify the mobility and partitioning of trace elements originating from mine waste rocks derived from open pit coal extraction activities. The results showed that native rice plants were adapted to growing in metal contaminated soils, posing [...] Read more.

The goal of this study was to quantify the mobility and partitioning of trace elements originating from mine waste rocks derived from open pit coal extraction activities. The results showed that native rice plants were adapted to growing in metal contaminated soils, posing a severe health risk to local population. Sequential extraction procedures and bulk soil chemical analyses both suggest enrichment of Cd, Pb and Cu in rice paddy soils. Lead was shown to be evenly partitioned among all mineral and organic phases. Copper was associated with carbonates and organic matter. Smaller fractions of Pb and Cu were also bound to Fe and Mn oxides. Only 25% of Cd, 9% of Pb and 48% of Cu were associated with the exchangeable fraction, considered mobile and thus bioavailable for plant uptake. Effects of Cd, Cu and Pb on local Cam Pha Nep cai Hoa vang, and control Asia Italian rice, showed marked differences in growth. The local Vietnamese variety grew close to control values, even upon exposure to higher trace metal concentrations. Whereas the development of the control rice species was significantly affected by increasing trace metal concentrations. This result suggests toxic trace elements accumulation in the edible parts of crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils: Sources, Releases and Environmental Impacts)

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20 pages, 3797 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Environmental Warning System Based on the DPSIR Model: A Practical and Concise Method for Environmental Assessment

by Wenqi Wang, Yuhong Sun and Jing Wu

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061728 - 25 May 2018

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 7232

Abstract

Though we are in urgent need of environmental warnings to slow environmental deterioration, currently, there is no internationally concise method for environmental warnings. In addition, the existing approaches do not combine the three aspects of ecology, resources, and environment. At the same time, [...] Read more.

Though we are in urgent need of environmental warnings to slow environmental deterioration, currently, there is no internationally concise method for environmental warnings. In addition, the existing approaches do not combine the three aspects of ecology, resources, and environment. At the same time, the three elements of the environment (air, water, and soil) are separated in most environmental warning systems. Thus, the method this paper gives is an innovative attempt and aims to make environmental assessment more practical. This paper establishes the index system of an environmental early warning based on the Driving–Pressure–State–Influence–Response (DPSIR) model. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to determine the weights. Next, single and integrated index methods further assess the environmental warning state, in which the weighted summation method is used to summarize the data and results. The case of Tianjin is used to confirm the applicability of this method. In conclusion, the method in this paper is more well-behaved and, therefore, more suitable to assist cities in their environmental assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Environmental and Sustainability Policy: Assessing the Past and charting a Course for the Future)

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23 pages, 2937 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Contrasting Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Pine Plantations in the Páramo Ecosystem of Ecuador

by Carlos Quiroz Dahik, Patricio Crespo, Bernd Stimm, Felipe Murtinho, Michael Weber and Patrick Hildebrandt

Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 1707; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061707 - 23 May 2018

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5411

Abstract

The páramo, a collection of Neotropical alpine ecosystems, plays a prominent role in ecosystem services (ESs), providing water supply and regulation, conservation of biodiversity, and carbon storage in soil. The establishment of pine plantations for carbon sequestration and wood production has recently [...] Read more.

The páramo, a collection of Neotropical alpine ecosystems, plays a prominent role in ecosystem services (ESs), providing water supply and regulation, conservation of biodiversity, and carbon storage in soil. The establishment of pine plantations for carbon sequestration and wood production has recently raised questions concerning the possible impact on the páramo’s ES. This study identifies the main stakeholders in this field and compares and contrasts their perceptions of the impact of pine plantations on the páramo’s ES, because the disparity among stakeholders’ perceptions must be addressed to achieve sustainable management. The data were gathered using 56 semi-structured interviews and were qualitatively analyzed. The results show that the main stakeholder groups (landowners, local government officials, foresters, and nature conservationists) acknowledge the important ES of the plantations. The perception of plantation impact varies among and within stakeholder groups, however, on specific functions, such as water provision, carbon storage, erosion prevention, and habitat function for wildlife and natural vegetation. Consideration and integration of these perceptions can help policy makers and organizations develop sustainable policies for the future management of the páramo ecosystem. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture, Landscape, Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity: New Challenges for Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 8398 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Flooding Hazards across Southern China and Prospective Sustainability Measures

by Hai-Min Lyu, Ye-Shuang Xu, Wen-Chieh Cheng and Arul Arulrajah

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1682; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051682 - 22 May 2018

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 14889

Abstract

The Yangtze River Basin and Huaihe River Basin in Southern China experienced severe floods 1998 and 2016. The reasons for the flooding hazards include the following two factors: hazardous weather conditions and degradation of the hydrological environment due to anthropogenic activities. This review [...] Read more.

The Yangtze River Basin and Huaihe River Basin in Southern China experienced severe floods 1998 and 2016. The reasons for the flooding hazards include the following two factors: hazardous weather conditions and degradation of the hydrological environment due to anthropogenic activities. This review work investigated the weather conditions based on recorded data, which showed that both 1998 and 2016 were in El Nino periods. Human activities include the degradations of rivers and lakes and the effects caused by the building of the Three Gorges Dam. In addition, the flooding in 2016 had a lower hazard scale than that in 1998 but resulted in larger economic losses than that of 1998. To mitigate urban waterlogging caused by flooding hazards, China proposed a new strategy named Spongy City (SPC) in 2014. SPC promotes sustainable city development so that a city has the resilience to adapt to climate change, to mitigate the impacts of waterlogging caused by extreme rainfall events. The countermeasures used to tackle the SPC construction-related problems, such as local inundation, water resource shortage, storm water usage, and water pollution control, are proposed for city management to improve the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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16 pages, 1125 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Building Ownership, Renovation Investments, and Energy Performance—A Study of Multi-Family Dwellings in Gothenburg

by Mikael Mangold, Magnus Österbring, Conny Overland, Tim Johansson and Holger Wallbaum

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1684; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051684 - 22 May 2018

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5506

Abstract

The European building stock was renewed at a rapid pace during the period 1950–1975. In many European countries, the building stock from this time needs to be renovated, and there are opportunities to introduce energy efficiency measures in the renovation process. Information availability [...] Read more.

The European building stock was renewed at a rapid pace during the period 1950–1975. In many European countries, the building stock from this time needs to be renovated, and there are opportunities to introduce energy efficiency measures in the renovation process. Information availability and increasingly available analysis tools make it possible to assess the impact of policy and regulation. This article describes methods developed for analyzing investments in renovation and energy performance based on building ownership and inhabitant socio-economic information developed for Swedish authorities, to be used for the Swedish national renovations strategy in 2019. This was done by analyzing measured energy usage and renovation investments made during the last 30 years, coupled with building specific official information of buildings and resident area characteristics, for multi-family dwellings in Gothenburg (N = 6319). The statistical analyses show that more costly renovations lead to decreasing energy usage for heating, but buildings that have been renovated during the last decades have a higher energy usage when accounting for current heating system, ownership, and resident socio-economic background. It is appropriate to include an affordability aspect in larger renovation projects since economically disadvantaged groups are over-represented in buildings with poorer energy performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Built Environment and Urban Growth Management)

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20 pages, 6367 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Soil Organic Carbon Baselines for Land Degradation Neutrality: Map Accuracy and Cost Tradeoffs with Respect to Complexity in Otjozondjupa, Namibia

by Ravic Nijbroek, Kristin Piikki, Mats Söderström, Bas Kempen, Katrine G. Turner, Simeon Hengari and John Mutua

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1610; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051610 - 17 May 2018

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 10011

Abstract

Recent estimates show that one third of the world’s land and water resources are highly or moderately degraded. Global economic losses from land degradation (LD) are as high as USD $10.6 trillion annually. These trends catalyzed a call for avoiding future LD, reducing [...] Read more.

Recent estimates show that one third of the world’s land and water resources are highly or moderately degraded. Global economic losses from land degradation (LD) are as high as USD $10.6 trillion annually. These trends catalyzed a call for avoiding future LD, reducing ongoing LD, and reversing past LD, which has culminated in the adoption of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 15.3 which aims to achieve global land degradation neutrality (LDN) by 2030. The political momentum and increased body of scientific literature have led to calls for a ‘new science of LDN’ and highlighted the practical challenges of implementing LDN. The aim of the present study was to derive LDN soil organic carbon (SOC) stock baseline maps by comparing different digital soil mapping (DSM) methods and sampling densities in a case study (Otjozondjupa, Namibia) and evaluate each approach with respect to complexity, cost, and map accuracy. The mean absolute error (MAE) leveled off after 100 samples were included in the DSM models resulting in a cost tradeoff for additional soil sample collection. If capacity is sufficient, the random forest DSM method out-performed other methods, but the improvement from using this more complex method compared to interpolating the soil sample data by ordinary kriging was minimal. The lessons learned while developing the Otjozondjupa LDN SOC baseline provide valuable insights for others who are responsible for developing LDN baselines elsewhere. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Degradation and Sustainable Management of Land)

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29 pages, 8746 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Spatially Explicit Soil Compaction Risk Assessment of Arable Soils at Regional Scale: The SaSCiA-Model

by Michael Kuhwald, Katja Dörnhöfer, Natascha Oppelt and Rainer Duttmann

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1618; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051618 - 17 May 2018

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6217

Abstract

Soil compaction caused by field traffic is one of the main threats to agricultural landscapes. Compacted soils have a reduced hydraulic conductivity, lower plant growth and increased surface runoff resulting in numerous environmental issues such as increased nutrient leaching and flood risk. Mitigating [...] Read more.

Soil compaction caused by field traffic is one of the main threats to agricultural landscapes. Compacted soils have a reduced hydraulic conductivity, lower plant growth and increased surface runoff resulting in numerous environmental issues such as increased nutrient leaching and flood risk. Mitigating soil compaction, therefore, is a major goal for a sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. To prevent undesirable effects of field traffic, it is essential to know where and when soil compaction may occur. This study developed a model for soil compaction risk assessment of arable soils at regional scale. A combination of (i) soil, weather, crop type and machinery information; (ii) a soil moisture model and (iii) soil compaction models forms the SaSCiA-model (Spatially explicit Soil Compaction risk Assessment). The SaSCiA-model computes daily maps of soil compaction risk and associated area statistics for varying depths at actual field conditions and for entire regions. Applications with open access data in two different study areas in northern Germany demonstrated the model’s applicability. Soil compaction risks strongly varied in space and time throughout the year. SaSCiA allows a detailed spatio-temporal analysis of soil compaction risk at the regional scale, which exceed those of currently available models. Applying SaSCiA may support farmers, stakeholders and consultants in making decision for a more sustainable agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture, Landscape, Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity: New Challenges for Sustainable Development)

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19 pages, 5287 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of the Use of Ornamental Plants and Different Substrates in the Removal of Wastewater Pollutants through Microcosms of Constructed Wetlands

by Luis Carlos Sandoval-Herazo, Alejandro Alvarado-Lassman, José Luis Marín-Muñiz, Juan Manuel Méndez-Contreras and Sergio Aurelio Zamora-Castro

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1594; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051594 - 16 May 2018

Cited by 63 | Viewed by 8030

Abstract

The high costs involved in treating wastewater are problems that developing countries confront, mainly in rural areas. Therefore, Constructed Wetlands (CWs), which are composed of substrate, vegetation, and microorganisms, are an economically and ecologically viable option for wastewater treatment in these places. There [...] Read more.

The high costs involved in treating wastewater are problems that developing countries confront, mainly in rural areas. Therefore, Constructed Wetlands (CWs), which are composed of substrate, vegetation, and microorganisms, are an economically and ecologically viable option for wastewater treatment in these places. There is a wide variety of possibilities for substrates and ornamental plants that have not yet been evaluated to be implemented in future CW designs. The goal of this study was to evaluate the process of adaptation and removal of wastewater pollutants in CW microcosms using different terrestrial ornamental plants (Lavandula sp., Spathiphyllum wallisii, and Zantedeschia aethiopica). Those plants were sown in two types of substrate: red volcanic gravel (RVG) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). CWs with vegetation reduced 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) by 68% with RVG substrate and 63% with PET substrate, nitrates 50% in RVG substrate and 35% in PET substrate, phosphates 38% in RVG substrate and 35% in PET substrate, and fecal coliforms 64% in RVG and 59% in PET substrate). In control microcosms without vegetation, reductions were significantly lower than those in the presence of plants, with reduction of BOD₅ by 61% in RVG substrate and 55% in PET substrate, nitrates 26% in RVG substrate and 22% in PET substrate, phosphates 27% in RVG substrate and 25% in PET substrate. Concerning fecal coliforms 62% were removed in RVG substrate and 59% in PET substrate. Regarding the production of flowers, Lavandula sp. did not manage to adapt and died 45 days after sowing and did not produce flowers. Spathiphyllum wallisii produced 12 flowers in RVG and nine flowers in PET, while Zantedeschia aethiopica produced 10 in RVG and 7 in PET. These results showed that the use of substrates made of RVG and PET is a viable alternative to be implemented in CWs. In addition, the reuse of PET is an option that decreases pollution by garbage. The plants Spathiphyllum wallisii and Zantedeschia aethiopica remarkably contribute in the removal of pollutants in wastewater. Additionally, the use of ornamental plants, with commercial interest such as those evaluated, enables an added value to the CW to be given, which can be used for flower production purposes on a larger scale and favor its acceptance within rural communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The New Paradigm of Waste Management: Waste as Resources)

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17 pages, 2098 KB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Re-Examining Embodied SO₂ and CO₂ Emissions in China

by Rui Huang, Klaus Hubacek, Kuishuang Feng, Xiaojie Li and Chao Zhang

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1505; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051505 - 10 May 2018

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4732

Abstract

CO₂ and SO_2, while having different environmental impacts, are both linked to the burning of fossil fuels. Research on joint patterns of CO₂ emissions and SO₂ emissions may provide useful information for decision-makers to reduce these emissions effectively. This [...] Read more.

CO₂ and SO_2, while having different environmental impacts, are both linked to the burning of fossil fuels. Research on joint patterns of CO₂ emissions and SO₂ emissions may provide useful information for decision-makers to reduce these emissions effectively. This study analyzes both CO₂ emissions and SO₂ emissions embodied in interprovincial trade in 2007 and 2010 using multi-regional input–output analysis. Backward and forward linkage analysis shows that Production and Supply of Electric Power and Steam, Non-metal Mineral Products, and Metal Smelting and Pressing are key sectors for mitigating SO₂ and CO₂ emissions along the national supply chain. The total SO₂ emissions and CO₂ emissions of these sectors accounted for 81% and 76% of the total national SO₂ emissions and CO₂ emissions, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Footprint: As an Environmental Sustainability Indicator)

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16 pages, 2341 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

“What Kind of a Science is Sustainability Science?” An Evidence-Based Reexamination

by Xuening Fang, Bingbing Zhou, Xingyue Tu, Qun Ma and Jianguo Wu

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1478; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051478 - 8 May 2018

Cited by 79 | Viewed by 14098

Abstract

Sustainability science (SS), rooted in multiple disciplines, has been developing rapidly during the last two decades and become a well-recognized new field of study. However, the “identity” of SS remains unclear. Therefore, this study was intended to help synthesize the key characteristics of [...] Read more.

Sustainability science (SS), rooted in multiple disciplines, has been developing rapidly during the last two decades and become a well-recognized new field of study. However, the “identity” of SS remains unclear. Therefore, this study was intended to help synthesize the key characteristics of SS by revisiting the question raised by the leading sustainability scientist, Robert Kates (2011): “What kind of a science is sustainability science?” Specifically, we reviewed the literature in SS, and developed a synthesis of definitions and core research questions of SS, using multiple methods including change-point detection, word cloud visualization, and content and thematic analyses. Our study has produced several main findings: (1) the development of SS exhibited an S-shaped growth pattern, with an exponential growth phase through to 2012, and a asymptotic development phase afterwards; (2) ten key elements from the existing definitions of SS were identified, of which understanding “human–environment interactions” and “use-inspired” were most prominent; and (3) sixteen core questions in SS were derived from the literature. We further proposed an eight-theme framework of SS to help understand how the sixteen questions are related to each other. We argue that SS is coming of age, but more integrative and concerted efforts are still needed to further consolidate its identity by developing a coherent and rigorous scientific core. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Defining and Assessing Landscape and Urban Sustainability: Linking Spatial Patterns, Ecosystems Services, and Human Wellbeing)

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21 pages, 1418 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Towards Place-Based Research to Support Social–Ecological Stewardship

by Jessica Cockburn, Georgina Cundill, Sheona Shackleton and Mathieu Rouget

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051434 - 4 May 2018

Cited by 49 | Viewed by 8381

Abstract

Concerns about ecological degradation and social inequalities have prompted increasing calls for stewardship in the social–ecological systems and sustainability science literature. However, how can the ideals of stewardship be realised in practice? The links between the theory and practice of stewardship are under-developed, [...] Read more.

Concerns about ecological degradation and social inequalities have prompted increasing calls for stewardship in the social–ecological systems and sustainability science literature. However, how can the ideals of stewardship be realised in practice? The links between the theory and practice of stewardship are under-developed, and research to support place-based stewardship practice is limited. We therefore bring together complementary perspectives to guide research on place-based stewardship practice in the context of multifunctional landscapes. We unpack and synthesise literature on stewardship, landscapes, and collaboration for natural resource management, and highlight the ways in which the pathways approach can deepen research on collaboration and stewardship practice. We propose landscapes as a suitable level of analysis and action for stewardship. Since all landscapes are multifunctional, we argue that collaboration among multiple stakeholders is a necessary focus of such research. Our analysis reveals that existing theory on collaboration could be deepened by further research into the agency of individual human actors, the complex social–relational dynamics among actors, and the situatedness of actors within the social–ecological context. These factors mediate collaborative processes, and a better understanding of them is needed to support place-based stewardship practice. To this end, the pathways approach offers a waymark to advance research on collaboration, particularly in the complex, contested social–ecological systems that tend to characterize multifunctional landscapes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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14 pages, 13799 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Trend Analyses of Extreme Precipitation Events in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin, China Using a High-Resolution Precipitation Product

by Jiao Fan, Wenchao Sun, Yong Zhao, Baolin Xue, Depeng Zuo and Zongxue Xu

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051396 - 2 May 2018

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4785

Abstract

The Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) is an important transboundary river basin in Tibet, China with south Asian countries. Changes in precipitation are important driving factors of river flow changes. Extreme Precipitation Events (EPE), in particular, have serious impacts on human life and [...] Read more.

The Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) is an important transboundary river basin in Tibet, China with south Asian countries. Changes in precipitation are important driving factors of river flow changes. Extreme Precipitation Events (EPE), in particular, have serious impacts on human life and sustainable development. The objective of this study is to explore the temporal changes and the spatial distribution of EPE over the YZRB in recent decades using a precipitation product with a 5 km spatial resolution and the Mann–Kendall nonparametric statistical test method. A more thorough understanding of the spatial heterogeneity in precipitation was expected from using this high resolution dataset. At both basin and pixel scale, both annual precipitation amounts and number of rain days had significant upward trends, indicating that the increase in the number of rain days is one possible cause of the annual precipitation amounts increases. The annual precipitation and number of rain days increased significantly in 50.8% and 75.8% of the basin area, respectively. The areas showing upward trends for the two indexes mostly overlapped, supporting the hypothesis that the increasing number of rain days is one possible cause of the increases in annual precipitation in these areas. General precipitation intensity and EPE intensity increased in the Lhasa regions and in the southern part of the lower-reach region. However, the intensity of general precipitation and EPE decreased in the Nyangqu River Basin. A total of 43.0% of the area in the YZRB exhibits significant upward trends in EPE frequency. The contributions of EPE to total rainfall increase significantly in the Lhasa and Shannan regions. Overall, it was shown that the risk of disasters from EPE in the YZRB increases in the eastern middle-reach region and southern lower-reach region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology, Water Quality and Ecology)

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20 pages, 928 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Co-Producing a Vision and Approach for the Transition towards a Circular Economy: Perspectives from Government Partners

by Anne P. M. Velenturf, Phil Purnell, Mike Tregent, John Ferguson and Alan Holmes

Sustainability 2018, 10(5), 1401; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051401 - 2 May 2018

Cited by 68 | Viewed by 9379

Abstract

The United Kingdom’s (UK) economy is overly reliant on unsustainable production and consumption practices that deplete finite resources at rates that will increase production costs, business risk, and economic instability; it also produces emissions and waste that cause climate change and environmental degradation, [...] Read more.

The United Kingdom’s (UK) economy is overly reliant on unsustainable production and consumption practices that deplete finite resources at rates that will increase production costs, business risk, and economic instability; it also produces emissions and waste that cause climate change and environmental degradation, impacting on well-being in the UK and beyond. The Resource Recovery from Waste programme (RRfW) promotes a transition towards waste and resource management in a circular economy that restores the environment, creates societal benefits, and promotes clean growth by engaging relevant actors in academia, government, and industry to co-produce a shared vision and approach that will realise such a transition. Sharing the RRfW’s government engagement results, this article presents a positive outlook for changing the UK economy and society through waste and resource management practices that maximise the values of materials by circulating them in the economy for as long as possible. Key themes, regulatory instruments, a stable policy framework, and an approach for effective academic–government collaboration are proposed. Comparing the results to government plans in four UK nations shows great differences in progress towards realising a circular economy. The article concludes with recommendations to capitalise on opportunities for growth, innovation, and resilient infrastructure whilst contributing to quality jobs and welfare throughout the UK. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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17 pages, 16102 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Public Participation in Designing the Recycling Bins to Encourage Recycling

by Kiriaki M. Keramitsoglou and Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1240; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041240 - 18 Apr 2018

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 24214

Abstract

Recycling bin design has been shown to be important in guiding and changing waste management practices. The top-down imposition of recycling scheme components, the various colour signage, the different types of recycling bins per material even in the same city, and in light [...] Read more.

Recycling bin design has been shown to be important in guiding and changing waste management practices. The top-down imposition of recycling scheme components, the various colour signage, the different types of recycling bins per material even in the same city, and in light of the limitations cited in the relevant literature, our contribution examines the citizens’ involvement in designing recycling bins. Analyzing the responses of 757 participants randomly selected, we initially defined design variables, i.e., shape, colour, and type of lid and insert slot. The next step was to design six bins per recyclable and non-recyclable material, which were printed in a card in a random order. In total, 12 cards were evaluated by 430 residents of a typical Greek town without previous experience in recycling; personal interviews were conducted and citizens gave a score on a scale from one to six. The results highlight the public preference for specific lids and insert slots, and a rectangular shape for all the materials apart from glass and compostables for engaging in recycling. In addition, the results suggest that a connection might exist between the colour of the recyclable material and the colour of the bin. When there is no particular bin colour preference for a material such as plastic or packages, various hues of orange, yellow, or purple dominate. A reward phrase or environmental message printed on the bins could encourage recycling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Trends in Municipal Solid Waste Management)

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63 pages, 24956 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Efficacy of the Vermicomposts of Different Organic Wastes as “Clean” Fertilizers: State-of-the-Art

by Naseer Hussain and Shahid A. Abbasi

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1205; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041205 - 16 Apr 2018

Cited by 80 | Viewed by 21414

Abstract

Vermicomposting is a process in which earthworms are utilized to convert biodegradable organic waste into humus-like vermicast. Past work, mainly on vermicomposting of animal droppings, has shown that vermicompost is an excellent organic fertilizer and is also imbibed with pest-repellent properties. However, there [...] Read more.

Vermicomposting is a process in which earthworms are utilized to convert biodegradable organic waste into humus-like vermicast. Past work, mainly on vermicomposting of animal droppings, has shown that vermicompost is an excellent organic fertilizer and is also imbibed with pest-repellent properties. However, there is no clarity whether vermicomposts of organic wastes other than animal droppings are as plant-friendly as the manure-based vermicomposts are believed to be. It is also not clear as to whether the action of a vermicompost as a fertilizer depends on the species of plants being fertilized by it. This raises questions whether vermicomposts are beneficial (or harmful) at all levels of application or if there is a duality in their action which is a function of their rate of application. The present work is an attempt to seek answers to these questions. To that end, all hitherto published reports on the action of vermicomposts of different substrates on different species of plants have been assessed. The study reveals that, in general, vermicomposts of all animal/plant based organic wastes are highly potent fertilizers. They also possess some ability to repel plant pests. The factors that shape these properties have been assessed and the knowledge gaps that need to be bridged have been identified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Organic Waste Management)

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29 pages, 11153 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Governing Transactions and Interdependences between Linked Value Chains in a Circular Economy: The Case of Wastewater Reuse in Braunschweig (Germany)

by Oliver Maaß and Philipp Grundmann

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041125 - 9 Apr 2018

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 7597

Abstract

Reusing wastewater in agriculture has attracted increasing attention as a strategy to support the transition towards the circular economy in the water and agriculture sector. As a consequence, there is great interest in solutions for governing the transactions and interdependences between the associated [...] Read more.

Reusing wastewater in agriculture has attracted increasing attention as a strategy to support the transition towards the circular economy in the water and agriculture sector. As a consequence, there is great interest in solutions for governing the transactions and interdependences between the associated value chains. This paper explores the institutions and governance structures for coordinating transactions and interdependences between actors in linked value chains of wastewater treatment and crop production. It aims to analyze how transactions and interdependences shape the governance structures for reusing wastewater at the local level. A transaction costs analysis based on data from semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire is applied to the agricultural wastewater reuse scheme of the Wastewater Association Braunschweig (Germany). The results show that different governance structures are needed to match with the different properties and requirements of the transactions and activities between linked value chains of wastewater treatment and crop production. Interdependences resulting from transactions between wastewater providers and farmers increase the need for hybrid and hierarchical elements in the governance structures for wastewater reuse. The authors conclude that aligning governance structures with transactions and interdependences is key to efficiently governing transactions and interdependences between linked value chains in a circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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15 pages, 17419 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Hyperspectral Estimation of the Chlorophyll Content in Short-Term and Long-Term Restorations of Mangrove in Quanzhou Bay Estuary, China

by Zhiguo Dou, Lijuan Cui, Jing Li, Yinuo Zhu, Changjun Gao, Xu Pan, Yinru Lei, Manyin Zhang, Xinsheng Zhao and Wei Li

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041127 - 9 Apr 2018

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 6241

Abstract

The chlorophyll content can indicate the general health of vegetation, and can be estimated from hyperspectral data. The aim of this study is to estimate the chlorophyll content of mangroves at different stages of restoration in a coastal wetland in Quanzhou, China, using [...] Read more.

The chlorophyll content can indicate the general health of vegetation, and can be estimated from hyperspectral data. The aim of this study is to estimate the chlorophyll content of mangroves at different stages of restoration in a coastal wetland in Quanzhou, China, using proximal hyperspectral remote sensing techniques. We determine the hyperspectral reflectance of leaves from two mangrove species, Kandelia candel and Aegiceras corniculatum, from short-term and long-term restoration areas with a portable spectroradiometer. We also measure the leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value). We use partial-least-squares stepwise regression to determine the relationships between the spectral reflectance and the chlorophyll content of the leaves, and establish two models, a full-wave-band spectrum model and a red-edge position regression model, to estimate the chlorophyll content of the mangroves. The coefficients of determination for the red-edge position model and the full-wave-band model exceed 0.72 and 0.82, respectively. The inverted chlorophyll contents are estimated more accurately for the long-term restoration mangroves than for the short-term restoration mangroves. Our results indicate that hyperspectral data can be used to estimate the chlorophyll content of mangroves at different stages of restoration, and could possibly be adapted to estimate biochemical constituents in leaves. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coastal Ecosystems: Monitoring, Management, Restoration, Preservation, and Valuation)

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16 pages, 22846 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Landfill Site Selection Using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method: A Case Study of the Salafcheghan Special Economic Zone, Iran

by Hossein Yousefi, Zahra Javadzadeh, Younes Noorollahi and Amin Yousefi-Sahzabi

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1107; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041107 - 8 Apr 2018

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 7999

Abstract

Sustainable waste management, particularly in industrial areas, is one of the major challenges of developing countries. Among the important issues in the overall process of industrial wastes management is the necessity of suitable site selection for waste disposal. Considering the effects that the [...] Read more.

Sustainable waste management, particularly in industrial areas, is one of the major challenges of developing countries. Among the important issues in the overall process of industrial wastes management is the necessity of suitable site selection for waste disposal. Considering the effects that the disposal sites exert on their surrounding ecosystem and environment, these sites should be located in places with the minimum destructive effects and the lowest environmental impacts. The aim of this research is to outline important criteria for industrial zone waste disposal site selection and to select optimal and proper disposal sites in the Salafchegan special economic zone. This region, as one of the most important industrial areas and closest to the country’s political–economic center, enjoys a privileged and unique position for producing, exporting, and transiting goods and products. There are various parameters involved in the optimal selection of suitable industrial waste disposal sites. In this case study, issues such as the depth of groundwater, distance from surface- and groundwater, access routes, residential areas, industries, power transmission lines, flood-proneness, faults, slope, and distance from gardens and agricultural lands were taken into account. Following selection and preparation of the maps related to the influential parameters, assigning weights was done through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and using expert comments. At this stage, the maps and weights related to them were introduced into an index overlay model to obtain new maps from combining the influential parameters. Thereafter, the areas with the first and second priorities were selected and out of each one, four sites were suggested for disposing of industrial wastes. The sites with the first and second priorities were specified as A1, A2, A3, and A4 and B1, B2, B3, and B4, respectively. The area, groundwater depth, distance from residential areas, distance from the Salafchegan special economic zone, the direction of the predominant wind, and the land use of the selected sites were also investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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18 pages, 43782 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Sustainable Water Use in Agriculture: A Review of Worldwide Research

by Juan F. Velasco-Muñoz, José A. Aznar-Sánchez, Luis J. Belmonte-Ureña and Isabel M. Román-Sánchez

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1084; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041084 - 5 Apr 2018

Cited by 152 | Viewed by 22355

Abstract

Sustainability of water use in agriculture is a line of research that has gained in importance worldwide. The present study reviewed 25 years of international research on sustainable water use in agriculture. A bibliometric analysis was developed to sample 2084 articles. Results indicate [...] Read more.

Sustainability of water use in agriculture is a line of research that has gained in importance worldwide. The present study reviewed 25 years of international research on sustainable water use in agriculture. A bibliometric analysis was developed to sample 2084 articles. Results indicate exponential growth in the number of articles published per year, with research in this field having acquired a global scale. Environmental Science and Agricultural and Biological Sciences are the main categories. Three journals—Agricultural Water Management, Water Resources Management and Nongye Gongcheng Xuebao Agricultural Engineering—published the most of the articles. China, the U.S., Australia, India and Germany produced the most research. The three institutions that published the most articles were all Chinese (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Agricultural University and Northwest A&F University). The most cited authors were Ridoutt, Hoekstra and Zhang. The keywords most frequently used include: water-use, irrigation, water-management, water-supply, and sustainability. A network map shows three clusters that focus on the environmental, agronomic and management aspects. The findings of this study can assist researchers in this field by providing an overview of research on the sustainability of hydric resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Irrigation for the Future: Addressing the Challenges to Improved Water Use Efficiency)

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17 pages, 5077 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

System Dynamic Analysis of Impacts of Government Charges on Disposal of Construction and Demolition Waste: A Hong Kong Case Study

by Lai Sheung Au, Seungjun Ahn and Tae Wan Kim

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041077 - 4 Apr 2018

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 7111

Abstract

With the purpose of reducing the amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste disposed to landfills, many countries and municipalities have introduced increasingly stringent C&D waste disposal charges (CDWDC) but the level of CDWDC is often determined without a clear understanding of its [...] Read more.

With the purpose of reducing the amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste disposed to landfills, many countries and municipalities have introduced increasingly stringent C&D waste disposal charges (CDWDC) but the level of CDWDC is often determined without a clear understanding of its broad and complex impacts. Against this background, this paper aims to propose a system dynamics (SD) model that can help predict CDWDC’s environmental implications as well as its financial implications. Specifically, the proposed model explains complex causal relationships between variables such as the level of CDWDC, the amount of C&D waste disposed to landfills, the government’s revenues from CDWDC as well as the costs of supplying and operating landfills over time. For a case study, the developed model is customized and calibrated with actual data from Hong Kong, where the remaining capacities of existing landfills are limited and the need for supplying more landfills is imminent. The simulation analysis with the model predicts that the current charging levels may not be high enough to effectively control the amount of C&D waste disposed to landfills or to compensate for the costs to the government of supplying additional landfills. The analysis also predicts how much illegal dumping may increase as the level of CDWDC increases. This case study illustrates that the proposed SD model can help policy makers to see the potential impacts of increased CDWDC on the amount of C&D waste disposed to landfills, government costs and the amount of illegal dumping of C&D waste; and can therefore help them to determine the most appropriate level of CDWDC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Trends in Municipal Solid Waste Management)

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15 pages, 888 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

A Global Synthesis Reveals Gaps in Coastal Habitat Restoration Research

by Y. Stacy Zhang, William R. Cioffi, Rebecca Cope, Pedro Daleo, Eleanor Heywood, Carmen Hoyt, Carter S. Smith and Brian. R. Silliman

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041040 - 1 Apr 2018

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 9273

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems have drastically declined in coverage and condition across the globe. To combat these losses, marine conservation has recently employed habitat restoration as a strategy to enhance depleted coastal ecosystems. For restoration to be a successful enterprise, however, it is necessary to [...] Read more.

Coastal ecosystems have drastically declined in coverage and condition across the globe. To combat these losses, marine conservation has recently employed habitat restoration as a strategy to enhance depleted coastal ecosystems. For restoration to be a successful enterprise, however, it is necessary to identify and address potential knowledge gaps and review whether the field has tracked scientific advances regarding best practices. This enables managers, researchers, and practitioners alike to more readily establish restoration priorities and goals. We synthesized the peer-reviewed, published literature on habitat restoration research in salt marshes, oyster reefs, and seagrasses to address three questions related to restoration efforts: (i) How frequent is cross-sector authorship in coastal restoration research? (ii) What is the geographic distribution of coastal restoration research? and (iii) Are abiotic and biotic factors equally emphasized in the literature, and how does this vary with time? Our vote-count survey indicated that one-third of the journal-published studies listed authors from at least two sectors, and 6% listed authors from all three sectors. Across all habitat types, there was a dearth of studies from Africa, Asia, and South America. Finally, despite many experimental studies demonstrating that species interactions can greatly affect the recovery and persistence of coastal foundation species, only one-fourth of the studies we examined discussed their effects on restoration. Combined, our results reveal gaps and discrepancies in restoration research that should be addressed in order to further propel coastal restoration science. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social-Ecological Restoration for Coastal Sustainability)

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16 pages, 780 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Exploring Farmers’ Indigenous Knowledge of Soil Quality and Fertility Management Practices in Selected Farming Communities of the Guinea Savannah Agro-Ecological Zone of Ghana

by Richard Ansong Omari, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura, Elsie Sarkodee Addo, Yosei Oikawa and Yoshiharu Fujii

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 1034; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10041034 - 30 Mar 2018

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 8595

Abstract

Efforts to improve soil productive capacity aimed at boosting crop production in the Northern Ghana has primarily focused on field-based experiments with little documentation on farmer practice and local indigenous knowledge of soil management. A sample group of 114 farmers from five farming [...] Read more.

Efforts to improve soil productive capacity aimed at boosting crop production in the Northern Ghana has primarily focused on field-based experiments with little documentation on farmer practice and local indigenous knowledge of soil management. A sample group of 114 farmers from five farming communities in the Guinea Savannah was interviewed to evaluate their indigenous knowledge of crop production practices in the context of soil health, fertilization management, and crop yield. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and responses for each category were calculated using simple proportions. Farmers’ fertilization practice was primarily influenced by fertilization resource availability and crop yield response. The results showed that inorganic fertilization was the commonest fertilization type among farmers. Farmer local indicators of soil health were predominantly limited to visually observable signs such as presence or absence of indicator plants, growth vigor of plants, soil color, and tilth, texture, and compaction. Non-tactile and visible indicators, notably soil chemical composition and presence of soil microorganisms, was rarely used. The listed indicators were congruent with scientific reports, although some knowledge gaps, particularly on the use of indicator plants, were identified. The use of indicator plants as determinants of healthy or non-healthy soils appeared to be influenced by the ease of control of weeds, its utilitarian benefits, benefits to the soil, and threats on cultivated crops. Famers were well informed about the decreasing crop yield. Fertilization practices and limitations in soil management practices with proposed capacity building approaches aimed at enhancing productive capacities of cultivated farmlands are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture, Landscape, Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity: New Challenges for Sustainable Development)

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20 pages, 317 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Critical Review of the Effects of Glyphosate Exposure to the Environment and Humans through the Food Supply Chain

by Vincenzo Torretta, Ioannis A. Katsoyiannis, Paolo Viotti and Elena Cristina Rada

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10040950 - 24 Mar 2018

Cited by 105 | Viewed by 27599

Abstract

Glyphosate is a synthesis product and chemical substance that entered in the global market during the 70s. In the beginning, the molecule was used as an active principle in a wide range of herbicides, with great success. This was mainly due to its [...] Read more.

Glyphosate is a synthesis product and chemical substance that entered in the global market during the 70s. In the beginning, the molecule was used as an active principle in a wide range of herbicides, with great success. This was mainly due to its systemic and non-selective action against vegetable organisms and also to the spread of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops, which over the years were specifically created with a resistance to glyphosate. To date, the product is, for these reasons, the most sprayed and most used herbicide in the world. Because of its widespread diffusion into the environment, it was not long before glyphosate found itself at the center of an important scientific debate about its adverse effects on health and environment. In fact, in 2015 the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France), an organization referred to as the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland), classified the substance as “likely carcinogenic” to humans. This triggered an immediate and negative reaction from the producer, who accused the Agency and claimed that they had failed to carry out their studies properly and that these conclusions were largely contradictory to published research. Additionally, in 2015, just a few months after the IARC monography published on glyphosate, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority, Parma, Italy), another WHO related organization, declared that it was “unlikely” that the molecule could be carcinogenic to humans or that it could cause any type of risk to human health. The conflict between the two organizations of the World Health Organization triggered many doubts, and for this reason, a series of independent studies were launched to better understand what glyphosate’s danger to humans and the environment really was. The results have brought to light how massive use of the herbicide has created over time a real global contamination that has not only affected the soil, surface and groundwater as well as the atmosphere, but even food and commonly used objects, such as diapers, medical gauze, and absorbent for female intimate hygiene. How human health is compromised as a result of glyphosate exposure is a topic that is still very debatable and still unclear and unambiguous. This paper is a review of the results of the main independent recent scientific studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Risk Assessment and Management)

21 pages, 5391 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

SWAT-Simulated Streamflow Responses to Climate Variability and Human Activities in the Miyun Reservoir Basin by Considering Streamflow Components

by Tiezhu Yan, Jianwen Bai, Amelia LEE ZHI YI and Zhenyao Shen

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 941; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10040941 - 23 Mar 2018

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5142

Abstract

The streamflow into Miyun Reservoir, the only surface drinking water source for Beijing City, has declined dramatically over the past five decades. Thus, the impacts of climate variability and human activities (direct and indirect human activities) on streamflow and its components (baseflow and [...] Read more.

The streamflow into Miyun Reservoir, the only surface drinking water source for Beijing City, has declined dramatically over the past five decades. Thus, the impacts of climate variability and human activities (direct and indirect human activities) on streamflow and its components (baseflow and quickflow) needs to be quantitatively estimated for the sustainability of regional water resources management. Based on a heuristic segmentation algorithm, the chosen study period (1969–2012) was segmented into three subseries: a baseline period (1969–1979) and two impact periods I (1980–1998) and II (1999–2012). The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was adopted to investigate the attributions for streamflow change. Our results indicated that the baseflow accounted for almost 63.5% of the annual streamflow based on baseflow separation. The contributions of climate variability and human activities to streamflow decrease varied with different stages. During impact period I, human activities was accountable for 54.3% of the streamflow decrease. In impact period II, climate variability was responsible for 64.9%, and about 8.3 mm of baseflow was extracted from the stream on average based on the comparison of the observed streamflow and simulated baseflow. The results in this study could provide necessary information for water resources management in the watershed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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29 pages, 1776 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

An Integrated Approach to a Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) Indicator for the Food Production–Consumption Chain

by Jan Willem Erisman, Allison Leach, Albert Bleeker, Brooke Atwell, Lia Cattaneo and James Galloway

Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 925; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10040925 - 22 Mar 2018

Cited by 80 | Viewed by 11133

Abstract

Reducing nitrogen pollution across the food chain requires the use of clear and comprehensive indicators to track and manage losses. The challenge is to derive an easy-to-use robust nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) indicator for entire food systems to help support policy development, monitor [...] Read more.

Reducing nitrogen pollution across the food chain requires the use of clear and comprehensive indicators to track and manage losses. The challenge is to derive an easy-to-use robust nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) indicator for entire food systems to help support policy development, monitor progress and inform consumers. Based on a comparison of four approaches to NUE (life cycle analysis, nitrogen footprint, nitrogen budget, and environmental impact assessment), we propose an indicator for broader application at the national scale: The whole food chain (NUE_FC), which is defined as the ratio of the protein (expressed as nitrogen) available for human consumption to the (newly fixed and imported) nitrogen input to the food system. The NUE_FC was calculated for a set of European countries between 1980 and 2011. A large variation in NUE_FC was observed within countries in Europe, ranging from 10% in Ireland to 40% in Italy in 2008. The NUE_FC can be used to identify factors that influence it (e.g., the share of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in new nitrogen, the imported and exported products and the consumption), which can be used to propose potential improvements on the national scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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14 pages, 4347 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Predicting Wetland Distribution Changes under Climate Change and Human Activities in a Mid- and High-Latitude Region

by Dandan Zhao, Hong S. He, Wen J. Wang, Lei Wang, Haibo Du, Kai Liu and Shengwei Zong

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030863 - 19 Mar 2018

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5435

Abstract

Wetlands in the mid- and high-latitudes are particularly vulnerable to environmental changes and have declined dramatically in recent decades. Climate change and human activities are arguably the most important factors driving wetland distribution changes which will have important implications for wetland ecological functions [...] Read more.

Wetlands in the mid- and high-latitudes are particularly vulnerable to environmental changes and have declined dramatically in recent decades. Climate change and human activities are arguably the most important factors driving wetland distribution changes which will have important implications for wetland ecological functions and services. We analyzed the importance of driving variables for wetland distribution and investigated the relative importance of climatic factors and human activity factors in driving historical wetland distribution changes. We predicted wetland distribution changes under climate change and human activities over the 21st century using the Random Forest model in a mid- and high-latitude region of Northeast China. Climate change scenarios included three Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) based on five general circulation models (GCMs) downloaded from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5). The three scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5) predicted radiative forcing to peak at 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 W/m² by the 2100s, respectively. Our results showed that the variables with high importance scores were agricultural population proportion, warmness index, distance to water body, coldness index, and annual mean precipitation; climatic variables were given higher importance scores than human activity variables on average. Average predicted wetland area among three emission scenarios were 340,000 ha, 123,000 ha, and 113,000 ha for the 2040s, 2070s, and 2100s, respectively. Average change percent in predicted wetland area among three periods was greatest under the RCP 8.5 emission scenario followed by RCP 4.5 and RCP 2.6 emission scenarios, which were 78%, 64%, and 55%, respectively. Losses in predicted wetland distribution were generally around agricultural lands and expanded continually from the north to the whole region over time, while the gains were mostly associated with grasslands and water in the most southern region. In conclusion, climatic factors had larger effects than human activity factors on historical wetland distribution changes and wetland distributions were predicted to decline remarkably over time under climate change scenarios. Our findings have important implications for wetland resource management and restoration because predictions of future wetland changes are needed for wetlands management planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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25 pages, 2019 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Studies and Investigation about the Attitude towards Sustainable Production, Consumption and Waste Generation in Line with Circular Economy in Romania

by Elena Simina Lakatos, Lucian-Ionel Cioca, Viorel Dan, Alina Oana Ciomos, Oana Adriana Crisan and Ghita Barsan

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 865; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030865 - 19 Mar 2018

Cited by 96 | Viewed by 13311

Abstract

With a rapidly growing world population and the need to address the issue of consumption of global resource and its associated environmental impacts and other social and economic issues, the demand for a responsible consumption, production and prevention of waste generation become increasingly [...] Read more.

With a rapidly growing world population and the need to address the issue of consumption of global resource and its associated environmental impacts and other social and economic issues, the demand for a responsible consumption, production and prevention of waste generation become increasingly crucial. With this broad characterization of Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), businesses based on circular economy should become the norm. With this goal in mind, an online questionnaire survey was performed on a nationwide scale, to explore consumers’ behaviors and attitudes. It was distributed in all four of Romania’s macro-regions and reached 642 respondents. The purpose of the study has been to better understand consumers’ behavior regarding sustainable consumption and production and examine whether generations play a role in responsible consumer attitudes toward the products. Three generations (X, Y, and Z) have been examined and compared. The results show that what extent those three generation agree with the environment and the benefits of reducing resource consumption, also waste generation, selective collection, recycling and reuse. However, most of them have not adopted and do not intend to adopt consumer patterns based on the circular economy. The findings provide empirical evidence and directions that could help marketers identify their consumer’s characteristics and market segments and develop consumer empowerment strategies on the Romanian market. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Trends in Municipal Solid Waste Management)

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18 pages, 1410 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Phytoplankton as Key Mediators of the Biological Carbon Pump: Their Responses to a Changing Climate

by Samarpita Basu and Katherine R. M. Mackey

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 869; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030869 - 19 Mar 2018

Cited by 197 | Viewed by 35167

Abstract

The world’s oceans are a major sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). The biological carbon pump plays a vital role in the net transfer of CO₂ from the atmosphere to the oceans and then to the sediments, subsequently maintaining atmospheric [...] Read more.

The world’s oceans are a major sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). The biological carbon pump plays a vital role in the net transfer of CO₂ from the atmosphere to the oceans and then to the sediments, subsequently maintaining atmospheric CO₂ at significantly lower levels than would be the case if it did not exist. The efficiency of the biological pump is a function of phytoplankton physiology and community structure, which are in turn governed by the physical and chemical conditions of the ocean. However, only a few studies have focused on the importance of phytoplankton community structure to the biological pump. Because global change is expected to influence carbon and nutrient availability, temperature and light (via stratification), an improved understanding of how phytoplankton community size structure will respond in the future is required to gain insight into the biological pump and the ability of the ocean to act as a long-term sink for atmospheric CO₂. This review article aims to explore the potential impacts of predicted changes in global temperature and the carbonate system on phytoplankton cell size, species and elemental composition, so as to shed light on the ability of the biological pump to sequester carbon in the future ocean. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Carbon Cycles)

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13 pages, 1990 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Trend Analysis of Droughts during Crop Growing Seasons of Nigeria

by Mohammed Sanusi Shiru, Shamsuddin Shahid, Noraliani Alias and Eun-Sung Chung

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030871 - 19 Mar 2018

Cited by 120 | Viewed by 13315

Abstract

This study assesses the impacts of recent climate changes on drought-affected areas and the occurrence of droughts during different cropping seasons of Nigeria using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). The crop growing seasons are considered because the droughts for those periods are [...] Read more.

This study assesses the impacts of recent climate changes on drought-affected areas and the occurrence of droughts during different cropping seasons of Nigeria using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). The crop growing seasons are considered because the droughts for those periods are more destructive to national agricultural production. The Mann–Kendall test and binary logistic regression were used to quantify the trends in drought-affected areas and the occurrence of crop droughts with different areal extents, respectively. Gauge-based gridded rainfall and temperature data for the period 1961–2010 with spatial resolutions of 0.5° were used. Results showed an increase in the areal extent of droughts during some of the cropping seasons. The occurrences of droughts, particularly moderate droughts with smaller areal extents, were found to increase for all of the seasons. The SPEI values calculated decreased mostly in the regions where rainfall was decreasing. That is, the recent changes in climate were responsible for the increase in the occurrences of droughts with smaller areal extents. These trends in climate indicate that the occurrence of larger areal extent droughts may happen more frequently in Nigeria in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology, Water Quality and Ecology)

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23 pages, 26933 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Calibration of a Field-Scale Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Model with Field Placement of Best Management Practices in Alger Creek, Michigan

by Katherine R. Merriman, Amy M. Russell, Cynthia M. Rachol, Prasad Daggupati, Raghavan Srinivasan, Brett A. Hayhurst and Todd D. Stuntebeck

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030851 - 16 Mar 2018

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 6560

Abstract

Subwatersheds within the Great Lakes “Priority Watersheds” were targeted by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to determine the effectiveness of the various best management practices (BMPs) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service National Conservation Planning (NCP) Database. A Soil [...] Read more.

Subwatersheds within the Great Lakes “Priority Watersheds” were targeted by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to determine the effectiveness of the various best management practices (BMPs) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service National Conservation Planning (NCP) Database. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is created for Alger Creek, a 50 km² tributary watershed to the Saginaw River in Michigan. Monthly calibration yielded very good Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) ratings for flow, sediment, total phosphorus (TP), dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), and total nitrogen (TN) (0.90, 0.79, 0.87, 0.88, and 0.77, respectively), and satisfactory NSE rating for nitrate (0.51). Two-year validation results in at least satisfactory NSE ratings for flow, sediment, TP, DRP, and TN (0.83, 0.54, 0.73, 0.53, and 0.60, respectively), and unsatisfactory NSE rating for nitrate (0.28). The model estimates the effect of BMPs at the field and watershed scales. At the field-scale, the most effective single practice at reducing sediment, TP, and DRP is no-tillage followed by cover crops (CC); CC are the most effective single practice at reducing nitrate. The most effective BMP combinations include filter strips, which can have a sizable effect on reducing sediment and phosphorus loads. At the watershed scale, model results indicate current NCP BMPs result in minimal sediment and nutrient reductions (<10%). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers on Sustainable Water Resources Management from the 2017 and 2018 International SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) Conference)

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18 pages, 4827 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Parametric Assessment of Pre-Monsoon Agricultural Water Scarcity in Bangladesh

by Sumaiya Jarin Ahammed, Eun-Sung Chung and Shamsuddin Shahid

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030819 - 15 Mar 2018

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6774

Abstract

This study assesses the geographical distribution of agricultural water scarcity in Bangladesh in order to streamline the adaptation measures. The agricultural water scarcity was assumed to be a system with five subsystems, namely, groundwater depth, surface water availability, rainfall availability, groundwater salinity for [...] Read more.

This study assesses the geographical distribution of agricultural water scarcity in Bangladesh in order to streamline the adaptation measures. The agricultural water scarcity was assumed to be a system with five subsystems, namely, groundwater depth, surface water availability, rainfall availability, groundwater salinity for irrigation, and surface water salinity for irrigation. The catastrophe-theory-based multi-criteria decision making approach was used for the estimation of agricultural water scarcity index from five subsystem indices. The obtained results showed that agriculture in about 6.3% of the area of the country is experiencing very high-risk water scarcity, 19.1% with high water scarcity, 37.2% with moderate water risk, and the rest is low or no risk of water scarcity for agriculture. Results showed that the western part of Bangladesh was more vulnerable to agricultural water scarcity. The analysis of the results showed that higher agriculture water scarcity in the northwest region resulted from water unavailability, and in the southwest region it was closely related to poor water quality. The severe areas of water scarcity are very similar to those that are usually regarded as water-scarce. The approach presented in this study can be used for rapid but fair assessment of water scarcity with readily available data, which can be further improved by incorporating other factors related to water scarcity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrology, Water Quality and Ecology)

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18 pages, 4476 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Effect of Co-Additives (Biochar and FGD Gypsum) on Ammonia Volatilization during the Composting of Livestock Waste

by Andi Febrisiantosa, Balasubramani Ravindran and Hong L. Choi

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030795 - 13 Mar 2018

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 8402

Abstract

The effectiveness of co-additives for improving livestock waste composting (reduction of air pollution and conservation of nutrients) was investigated. Biochar and Flue gas desulphurization gypsum (FGD gypsum) were used to supplement the composting of a mixture of slaughter waste, swine slurry, and sawdust. [...] Read more.

The effectiveness of co-additives for improving livestock waste composting (reduction of air pollution and conservation of nutrients) was investigated. Biochar and Flue gas desulphurization gypsum (FGD gypsum) were used to supplement the composting of a mixture of slaughter waste, swine slurry, and sawdust. Different compositions of additives (0% or 5% each, 10% biochar or FGD gypsum) were tested in triplicate on the laboratory scale. In addition, the effects of two different aeration schemes (continuous and intermittent) were also investigated. Ammonia volatilization, physicochemical characteristics, and compost maturity indices were investigated. The results indicated that the use of the co-additive (Biochar and FGD gypsum) during composting of livestock waste led to a reduction of ammonia volatilization by 26–59% and to a 6.7–7.9-fold increase of nitrate accumulation. The total ammonia volatilization of intermittent aeration treatment was lower than that of continuous aeration using co-additives treatment. It was concluded that co-additives (biochar and FGD gypsum) might be utilized in livestock waste composting to reduce ammonia volatilization and improve nutrient conservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Organic Waste Management)

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33 pages, 8448 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Irrigated Agriculture Suitability to Achieve Food Security in an Arid Environment

by Amal Aldababseh, Marouane Temimi, Praveen Maghelal, Oliver Branch and Volker Wulfmeyer

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030803 - 13 Mar 2018

Cited by 87 | Viewed by 12008

Abstract

This research aims at assessing land suitability for large-scale agriculture using multiple spatial datasets which include climate conditions, water potential, soil capabilities, topography and land management. The study case is in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in the UAE. The aridity of climate [...] Read more.

This research aims at assessing land suitability for large-scale agriculture using multiple spatial datasets which include climate conditions, water potential, soil capabilities, topography and land management. The study case is in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in the UAE. The aridity of climate in the region requires accounting for non-renewable sources like desalination and treated sewage effluent (TSE) for an accurate and realistic assessment of irrigated agriculture suitability. All datasets were systematically aggregated using an analytical hierarchical process (AHP) in a GIS model. A hierarchal structure is built and pairwise comparisons matrices are used to calculate weights of the criteria. All spatial processes were integrated to model land suitability and different types of crops are considered in the analysis. Results show that jojoba and sorghum show the best capabilities to survive under the current conditions, followed by date palm, fruits and forage. Vegetables and cereals proved to be the least preferable options. Introducing desalinated water and TSE enhanced land suitability for irrigated agriculture. These findings have positive implications for national planning, the decision-making process of land alteration for agricultural use and addressing sustainable land management and food security issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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20 pages, 5940 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Energy Use and Perceived Indoor Environment in a Swedish Multifamily Building before and after Major Renovation

by Lina La Fleur, Patrik Rohdin and Bahram Moshfegh

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030766 - 11 Mar 2018

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4891

Abstract

Improved energy efficiency in the building sector is a central goal in the European Union and renovation of buildings can significantly improve both energy efficiency and indoor environment. This paper studies the perception of indoor environment, modelled indoor climate and heat demand in [...] Read more.

Improved energy efficiency in the building sector is a central goal in the European Union and renovation of buildings can significantly improve both energy efficiency and indoor environment. This paper studies the perception of indoor environment, modelled indoor climate and heat demand in a building before and after major renovation. The building was constructed in 1961 and renovated in 2014. Insulation of the façade and attic and new windows reduced average U-value from 0.54 to 0.29 W/m²·K. A supply and exhaust ventilation system with heat recovery replaced the old exhaust ventilation. Heat demand was reduced by 44% and maximum supplied heating power was reduced by 38.5%. An on-site questionnaire indicates that perceived thermal comfort improved after the renovation, and the predicted percentage dissatisfied is reduced from 23% to 14% during the heating season. Overall experience with indoor environment is improved. A sensitivity analysis indicates that there is a compromise between thermal comfort and energy use in relation to window solar heat gain, internal heat generation and indoor temperature set point. Higher heat gains, although reducing energy use, can cause problems with high indoor temperatures, and higher indoor temperature might increase thermal comfort during heating season but significantly increases energy use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Buildings and Indoor Air Quality)

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19 pages, 1695 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Compatibility between Crops and Solar Panels: An Overview from Shading Systems

by Raúl Aroca-Delgado, José Pérez-Alonso, Ángel Jesús Callejón-Ferre and Borja Velázquez-Martí

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030743 - 8 Mar 2018

Cited by 62 | Viewed by 10967

Abstract

The use of alternative energy in agricultural production is desired by many researchers, especially for protected crops that are grown in greenhouses with photovoltaic panels on the roofs. These panels allow for the passage of varying levels of sunlight according to the needs [...] Read more.

The use of alternative energy in agricultural production is desired by many researchers, especially for protected crops that are grown in greenhouses with photovoltaic panels on the roofs. These panels allow for the passage of varying levels of sunlight according to the needs of each type of crop. In this way, sustainable and more economic energy can be generated than that offered by fossil fuels. The objective of this work is to review the literature regarding the applications of selective shading systems with crops, highlighting the use of photovoltaic panels. In this work, shading systems have been classified as bleaching, mesh, screens, and photovoltaic modules. The search was conducted using Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus until February 2018. In total, 113 articles from scientific journals and related conferences were selected. The most important authors of this topic are “Yano A” and “Abdel-Ghany AM”, and regarding the number of documents cited, the most important journal is Biosystems Engineering. The year 2017 had the most publications, with a total of 20, followed by 2015 with 14. The use of shading systems, especially of photovoltaic panels, requires more crop-specific research to determine the optimum percentage of panels that does not reduce agricultural production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Lighting and Energy Saving)

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19 pages, 1771 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Comparing the Effects of Vehicle Automation, Policy-Making and Changed User Preferences on the Uptake of Electric Cars and Emissions from Transport

by Christoph Mazur, Gregory J. Offer, Marcello Contestabile and Nigel Brandon Brandon

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030676 - 2 Mar 2018

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 11148

Abstract

Switching energy demand for transport from liquid fuels to electricity is the most promising way to significantly improve air quality and reduce transport emissions. Previous studies have shown this is possible, that by 2035 the economics of alternative powertrain and energy vectors will [...] Read more.

Switching energy demand for transport from liquid fuels to electricity is the most promising way to significantly improve air quality and reduce transport emissions. Previous studies have shown this is possible, that by 2035 the economics of alternative powertrain and energy vectors will have converged. However, they do not address whether the transition is likely or plausible. Using the UK as a case study, we present a systems dynamics model based study informed by transition theory and explore the effects of technology progress, policy-making, user preferences and; for the first time, automated vehicles on this transition. We are not trying to predict the future but to highlight what is necessary in order for different scenarios to become more or less likely. Worryingly we show that current policies with the expected technology progress and expectations of vehicle buyers are insufficient to reach global targets. Faster technology progress, strong financial incentives or a change in vehicle buyer expectations are crucial but still insufficient. In contrast, the biggest switch to alternatively fuelled vehicles could be achieved by the introduction of automated vehicles. The implications will affect policy makers, automotive manufactures, technology developers and broader society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transport: Transport, Environment, and Development)

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9 pages, 188 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceEditorial

Collaboration, Adaptation, and Scaling: Perspectives on Environmental Governance for Sustainability

by Michael Schoon and Michael E. Cox

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 679; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030679 - 2 Mar 2018

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 7140

Abstract

In preview of the special issue on “Environmental Governance for Sustainability”, this manuscript examines three key themes on governance and sustainability. Governance for sustainability, by its nature, requires long-enduring institutional arrangements. Given the complex adaptive systems in which governance decision-making takes place, we [...] Read more.

In preview of the special issue on “Environmental Governance for Sustainability”, this manuscript examines three key themes on governance and sustainability. Governance for sustainability, by its nature, requires long-enduring institutional arrangements. Given the complex adaptive systems in which governance decision-making takes place, we explore three key characteristics of successful, long-term governance. The first of these is working across scale. This includes nested institutions as well as communication and coordination both horizontally and vertically between diverse governance groups. Second, we highlight the importance of collaboration. Building on the previous point, we draw on literature from collaborative governance and co-management to emphasize how collaboration can help to build more enduring governance structures. Third, we examine the importance of adaptation and evolution in the resolution of collective action dilemmas in complex systems filled with nonlinearities, unclear causal chains, and environments in which we have less than a full understanding of the ramifications of governance actions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Governance for Sustainability)

19 pages, 7067 KB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Spatial Assessment of Urban Flood Susceptibility Using Data Mining and Geographic Information System (GIS) Tools

by Sunmin Lee, Saro Lee, Moung-Jin Lee and Hyung-Sup Jung

Sustainability 2018, 10(3), 648; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10030648 - 28 Feb 2018

Cited by 68 | Viewed by 9342

Abstract

Using geographic information system (GIS) tools and data-mining models, this study analyzed the relationships between flood areas and correlated hydrological factors to map the regional flood susceptibility of the Seoul metropolitan area in South Korea. We created a spatial database of data describing [...] Read more.

Using geographic information system (GIS) tools and data-mining models, this study analyzed the relationships between flood areas and correlated hydrological factors to map the regional flood susceptibility of the Seoul metropolitan area in South Korea. We created a spatial database of data describing factors including topography, geology, soil, and land use. We used 2010 flood data for training and 2011 data for model validation. Frequency ratio (FR) and logistic regression (LR) models were applied to 2010 flood data to determine the relationships between the flooded area and its causal factors and to derive flood-susceptibility maps, which were substantiated using the area flooded in 2011 (not used for training). As a result of the accuracy validation, FR and LR model results were shown to have 79.61% and 79.05% accuracy, respectively. In terms of sustainability, floods affect water health as well as causing economic and social damage. These maps will provide useful information to decision makers for the implementation of flood-mitigation policies in priority areas in urban sustainable development and for flood prevention and management. In addition to this study, further analysis including data on economic and social activities, proximity to nature, and data on population and building density, will make it possible to improve sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Floods and Landslides: A Sustainability Approach)

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