Large quantities of water are appropriated to produce the feed annually consumed in global livestock production. Rising concerns about increasing competition for water resources and projected increase in demand for livestock products make it imperative to look for strategies to sustainably increase livestock production, with water being one key natural resource to consider. Using a combination of different datasets, a mechanistic livestock model, and a dynamic vegetation model, we estimate the annual consumptive water use (CWU) in the global livestock sector associated with crops and fodder cultivated on cropland and grazed biomass from pastures.
INNOVATE was a comprehensive, collaborative, and binational research project. It ran from January 2012 through December 2016. Brazil and Brazil’s Northeast in particular suffered from a severe drought period from 2012 onwards. Management and governance of natural resources faced serious challenges related to access to water. Important long-term drivers that call for recurrent adaptation of actions are land use change, population growth, climate change, and conflicts from the multiple uses of water. The scientific project addressed this complex situation through research aimed at suggesting practices and pathways towards ecologically and socioeconomically sound management of land, water and biodiversity. The INNOVATE project had one focus on the entire watershed of the São Francisco River and another one on a portion of the watershed – the Itaparica Reservoir and the semi-arid area north of the artificial lake. Researchers with different backgrounds worked within their disciplines, in groups (interdisciplinary) and together with stakeholders (transdisciplinary). The Guidance Manual is a compilation of actor-relevant content extracted from the scientific research results. Most recommendations put forward can be adapted as principles and standards for reservoir and semi-arid regions elsewhere in the world. INNOVATE war ein umfassendes, bi-nationales Verbundforschungsprojekt zwischen Brasilien und Deutschland, mit einer Kernlaufzeit von Januar 2012 bis Dezember 2016. Im Jahr 2012 begann eine besonders schwere Dürreperiode, welche nicht nur den sowieso trockenen Nordosten Brasiliens traf, sondern auch weitere Teile des Landes. Die stark eingeschränkte Wasserverfügbarkeit wurde zum zentralen Thema von Management und Governance der natürlichen Ressourcen. Wichtige langfristige Treiber, welche eine kontinuierliche Anpassung des Handelns notwendig machen, sind Landnutzungsänderungen, Bevölkerungswachstum, Klimawandel und Konflikte um die verschiedenen Wassernutzungsansprüche. Im Projekt wurden Praktiken und Ansätze zur ökologisch und sozialökonomisch verträglichen Bewirtschaftung von Wasser, Land und Biodiversität entwickelt. Das Studiengebiet des INNOVATE-Projekts umfasste dabei das gesamte Wassereinzugsgebiet des São Francisco Flusses, wobei Feldforschung im semi-ariden Umland nördlich des Itaparica Stausees stattfand. Forscher und Forscherinnen aus verschiedenen Disziplinen arbeiteten disziplinär, in Gruppen (interdisziplinär) sowie gemeinsam mit Stakeholdern (transdisziplinär). Das vorliegende Handbuch ist eine Zusammenstellung von Stakeholder-relevanten Empfehlungen, welche aus den Ergebnissen der wissenschaftlichen Forschung abgeleitet wurden. Die meisten hier vorgestellten Handlungsempfehlungen können weltweit an vergleichbare Stausee- und semi-aride Regionen angepasst werden.
What happens when digital innovation meets migration? Roaming Africa considers how we understand modern-day mobility in Africa, where age-old routes strengthen the resilience of people roaming the continent for livelihoods and security, assisted by mobile communication. Digital mobility expands connectivity around the world, and also in Africa. In this book, the authors show that mobility, resilience and social protection in the digital age are closely related. Each chapter takes a close look at the migration dynamics in a specific context, using social theory as a lens. This book adopts a critical perspective on approaches in which migration is regarded merely as a hazard. Edited by distinguished scholars from Africa and Europe, this volume, the second in a four-part series Connected and Mobile: Migration and Human Trafficking in Africa, compiles chapters from a diverse group of young and upcoming scholars, making an important contribution to the literature on migration studies, digital science, social protection and governance.
This unique volume discusses various aspects of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the Aswan High Dam (AHD) including their positive and negative impacts. It presents up-to-date research findings by Egyptian scientists and researchers covering several interesting hot topics under the following main themes: · Major impacts of GERD compared with the AHD · Environmental impacts of the AHD · Modeling scenarios investigating the impacts of GERD on the AHD and downstream · Environmental and social impacts of GERD on Egypt · Status and assessment of the sediment of the AHD reservoir and modeling the impacts of GERD on Lake Nubia sediment accumulation · Proposed scenarios for maximizing the benefits of the AHD reservoir · International aspects of GERD and the AHD The volume also offers a set of conclusions and recommendations to optimize the cooperation between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. It appeals to postgraduate students, researchers, scientists, professionals and policy planners.
Originating from the work of the late Nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine, ECOSUD 2017 was the 11th International Conference on Ecosystems and Sustainable Development in this long-standing series. This volume contains papers presented at the meeting and covers new research on ecological problems, as well as new ideas and concepts from scientists, engineers, socio-economic specialists and other professionals working in this area. Emphasis is placed on subject areas that would benefit from the application of scientific methods for sustainable development, including the conservation of natural systems around the world whilst also integrating thermodynamics, ecology and economics. Furthermore, the study of distributed systems is addressed in order to avoid transport recovery and waste reduction. Individual topics covered include: Energy systems and the environment; Sustainable development and planning; Ecosystem modelling; Environmental innovative approaches; Natural resources management; Protection and mitigation; Knowledge dissemination; Social responsibility; Sustainability indicators, monitoring and assessment; Urban agriculture; Environmental risk management; Ecosystems recovery; Complex systems in ecology; Ecosystems networks; Biomass issues; Integrated assessment tools.
This volume explores current knowledge and methods used to study soil organisms and to attribute their activity to wider ecosystem functions. Biodiversity not only responds to environmental change, but has also been shown to be one of the key drivers of ecosystem function and service delivery. Soil biodiversity in tree-dominated ecosystems is also governed by these principles, the structure of soil biological communities is clearly determined by environmental, as well as spatial, temporal and hierarchical factors. Global environmental change, together with land-use change and ecosystem management by humans, impacts the aboveground structure and composition of tree ecosystems. Due to existing knowledge of the close links between the above- and belowground parts of terrestrial ecosystems, we know that soil biodiversity is also impacted. However, very little is known about the nature of these impacts; effects on the overall level of biodiversity, the magnitude and diversity of functions soil biodiversity generates, but also on the present and future stability of tree ecosystems and soils. Even though much remains to be learned about the relationships between soil biodiversity and tree ecosystem functionality, it is clear that better effort needs to be made to describe and understand key processes which take place in soils and are driven by soil biota.
This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This volume shares new data relating to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), with emphasis on experiences in Eastern and Southern Africa. The book is a collection of research by authors from over 30 institutions, spanning the public and private sectors, with specific knowledge on agricultural development in the region discussed. The material is assembled to answer key questions on the following five topic areas: (1) Climate impacts: What are the most significant current and near future climate risks undermining smallholder livelihoods? (2) Varieties: How can climate-smart varieties be delivered quickly and cost-effectively to smallholders? (3) Farm management: What are key lessons on the contributions from soil and water management to climate risk reduction and how should interventions be prioritized? (4) Value chains: How can climate risks to supply and value chains be reduced? and (5) Scaling up: How can most promising climate risks reduction strategies be quickly scaled up and what are critical success factors? Readers who will be interested in this book include students, policy makers, and researchers studying climate change impacts on agriculture and agricultural sustainability.
Papers presented at the 2nd International Conference on Coastal Cities and their Sustainable Future are contained in this volume. Since its successful introduction in 2015 the conference has continued to attract important research covering the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal cities. An increased world population and the preference for living in coastal regions has resulted in their ever-growing expansion. Whilst this creates economic growth, it also increases the need for improved resources, infrastructure and services. Coastal cities should be considered as dynamic complex systems which need energy, water, food and other resources in order to work and produce diverse activities, with the aim of offering a socioeconomic climate and improved quality of life. Consequently the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal cities is essential with science, technology, architecture, socio-economics and planning all collaborating to support decision makers. Planners need to explore various options and models to forecast future services, plans and solutions. Included papers examine some of these possible models and potential solutions with emphasis in the areas of: Landscape and urban planning; Infrastructures and eco-architecture; City heritage and regeneration; Urban transport and communications; Commercial ports; Fishing and sports harbours; City-Waterfront interaction; Marine industries; Water resources management; Quality of life and city leisure; Tourism and the city; Water pollution; Air pollution; City waste management; Acoustical and thermal pollution; Coastal risk assessment; Coastal flooding; Coastal processes; Landslides; Socio-economic issues.
This volume presents papers from the 4th International Conference on Water & Society. The focus of the conference was to encourage trans-disciplinary communication on issues related to the nature of water, and its use and exploitation by society. The valuable research contained in this book demonstrates the need to bridge the gap between specialists in physical sciences, biology, environmental sciences and health. The availability of clean and inexpensive water can no longer be taken for granted as the need for water continues to increase due a growing global population. Heavy water consumers such as agriculture and industry often contribute to its contamination. Water distribution networks in urban areas and soiled water collection systems, present serious problems as well as the need to maintain ageing infrastructures. Possible technologically solutions, such as desalination or pumping systems are energy demanding but, as costs rise, the techniques currently developed may need to be re-assessed. The following list covers some of the subjects included in this book: Water resources management; Agribusiness; Water as a human right; Water quality; Water resources contamination; Sanitation and health; Water and disaster management; Policy and legislation; Future water demands; Irrigation and water management; Management of catchments; Groundwater management and conservation.
Rising levels of global inequality and migrant flows are both critical global challenges. Set within the Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia, Going Nowhere Fast sets out to answer a question of global importance: how does inequality persist in our increasingly mobile world? Inequality is often referred to as the greatest threat to democracy, society, and economy, and yet opportunity has apparently never been more accessible. Long and short distance transport - from motorbikes to aeroplanes - are available to more people than ever before and telecommunications have transformed our lives, ushering in an era of translocality in which the behaviour of people and communities is influenced from hundreds or even thousands of miles apart. Yet amidst these complex flows of people, ideas, and capital, persistent inequality cuts a jarringly static figure. Going Nowhere Fast brings together a decade of research to examine this uneven development in Cambodia, making a case for inequality as a 'total social fact' rather than an economic phenomenon, in which stories, stigma, obligation and assets combine to lock social structures in place. Going Nowhere Fast: Inequality in the Age of Translocality speaks from an in-depth perspective to an issue of global relevance: how inequality persists in our hypermobile world. Focusing on pressing issues in Cambodia that resonate beyond, it investigates how human movement within and across the nation's borders are intertwined with societal threats and challenges, including of precarious labour and agricultural livelihoods; climate and environmental change; the phenomenon of land grabbing; and the rise of popular nationalism.
